


A Jedi's Legacy

by SoulSong



Series: There Is Only the Force [1]
Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin is a terrible Master, Anakin is an Idiot, And now Drayhu is giving him a humility check, BE GRATEFUL, Competitive clones, Gungi is the best, I did promise you Gungi, Leh is getting practice, No one can convince me otherwise, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags May Change, informal adoption of everyone, prove me wrong, so here, whether she wants it or not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2020-10-14 14:57:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 17
Words: 38,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20602691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulSong/pseuds/SoulSong
Summary: Master Drayhu can never have children of her own, as is the way of the code she swore to defend. However, that does not destroy her urge to dote on children. What is a Jedi to do? Treat every padawan and their padawans as her own children and grandchildren of course! Now, only a century into her half a millenia lifespan, she has amassed quite a family. But, war has erupted, dividing the galaxy she's come to know. Now, this nearly two century old Consular must learn to become a General alongside her new padawan as they fight to keep the peace between the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic.This is my second Star Wars story and it runs parallel to my other story called The Tales of Clan Danakar. It is also told from two other perspectives by my dear friends @summer_days and @4eHeretic. Master Drayhu is my OC for this story along with Opar Tas, Zerusu, Jychi Crurre, Simul Kask, Asyr Chito, Clox Hollis, Kulo-Bod, and Isaami. Most of these are only mentioned though. @summer_days owns Leh Noss and Ces'Juwi, while @4eHeretic owns Captain Victor, Victor's squad, the entire 2532nd, and R3-D0 (Redo).





	1. It Begins

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [In the Path of a Hurricane](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20531033) by [summer_days](https://archiveofourown.org/users/summer_days/pseuds/summer_days). 
  * Inspired by [The Tales of Clan Danakar](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20476775) by [SoulSong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoulSong/pseuds/SoulSong). 
  * Inspired by [To the Victor Goes the Spoils](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20640089) by [4eHeretic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/4eHeretic/pseuds/4eHeretic). 

978 FGR

I never thought I’d see the day. The Galaxy is at war with itself. Such a pity. I suppose such a fate was always possible, just unexpected. What I am most upset about though is that I missed the Battle of Geonosis. I hate that. It’s one of the few planets I **haven’t** been to yet. No. I cannot think like that. The Twi’leks of Ryloth needed my help.

That rockslide had an entire village trapped in their homes. It was a good thing I went and I do not regret it. I smile to myself as I bow to the Twi’lek man thanking me. “It was nothing.” I say, waving off his insistence that I stay, shaking my head. “I cannot stay.” I point to my ship and he nods. “I see. Do pass on my thanks to the council for sending you.”

I nod and give another bow. I can’t help but smile as a few children come forth to hug my legs. I rub their heads, dwarfed in my rather large hands. They obey their parents’ instructions and release my legs, many giggling as I rub their heads again before turning to my ship. R3 is already in place thanks to a little help from the Twi’leks.

I climb into my new fighter and the Twi’leks back up, allowing me to launch. I take off, flying to my Syliure-31 long-range hyperdrive module. Not a minute after connecting to the module, R3 has set a course to Coruscant and we’ve activated the hyperdrive. I relax while I can, enjoying the peaceful moments. I had received the news shortly after completing my mission here.

All those poor souls who died in the Battle of Geonosis, may they rest in peace. R3 alerts me that we’re almost out of hyperspace and I grab the controls. Once we exit hyperspace, I detach from the hyperspace module and fly down into the atmosphere of Coruscant. It has been some time since I was last here. Constant travel will do that I suppose.

It’s a good thing I like travelling, since I doubt I will be back here for some time. Well, assuming they choose to deploy me. I bring my ship in to land, hopping out and gazing up at the place I have called home for so much of my life. It’s funny really, how much of my life has been dedicated to this place and all that it stands for.

R3-D0 appears next to me and comments on how pretty it is. He’s not wrong. This is not his first time here, but it’s probably his first time getting to really look at it. I nod and agree with him before walking up to the doors leading inside. I stroll down the familiar hallways with purpose. My instructions were to meet with the High Council upon my return.

I pass by countless faces, some familiar, most not. Strange how, despite how busy these halls are, they are also so very empty. So many lost in that battle. Could I have changed it? Could I have saved them? No. I could not have saved all of them, but perhaps I could have prevented some of them from dying. Yet, if I had been on Geonosis, then those Twi’leks would have suffered in exchange.

Everything is in balance. Patience is a virtue. The time will come to bring justice to Mas-, **Count** Yan Dooku for starting a war. Until then, I will be patient. I instruct R3 to wait for me in my room and he complies, splitting off to my room. I finally reach the door I need, raising my hand and knocking. I’m instructed to enter and I do so. I close the door behind me and bow to the council members.

“Welcome back Master Drayhu. How are the people of Ryloth?” asks the Ongree male. I don’t think I know him. “Doing well. Thankfully, there were very few injured in the rockslide. They send their thanks for the assistance and their condolences for our deceased.” They nod and there’s a moment of silence for our dead friends, including those of the Council.

It is Grand Master Yoda who finally breaks the silence. “Much to discuss, we have.” I nod. I expected as much. “Join the Civilian Relief Council (CRC) you will. The High Council, will you rejoin?” Interesting. I was not expecting to be offered my seat once again. However, I can see that a few seats are empty now. I bow. “I consider both to be an honor, Master Yoda.”

“We figured you would approve of the assignment.” Says a somewhat younger Jedi. He seems familiar. Have I seen him before? “You will not have your own clone soldiers, but there will be a unit available to assist the relief council’s missions. They will be on call and join representatives on site.” adds another to my left, just out of my peripheral vision. The meeting continues as we discuss the details of the CRC.

Before I leave the Council chambers, I ask. “Is there anything else?” Master Windu nods. “Yes. Do you remember Coleman Trebor?” I nod. “Yes, of course. He died on Geonosis, yes?” He nods solemnly. “Yes. Unfortunately, his padawan learner is not ready for the trials just yet.” Things start clicking into place. “You-. You want **me** to finish her training?” I ask, looking around the room.

Master Yoda nods. “Good for both of you, it will be.” I sigh but nod. “I..understand, Master Yoda. If you believe I can do Master Trebor justice, then I will be sure to honor his memory.” I come to a realization and decide that I might as well ask. Worse thing they can do is say no. “However, I would like to take some time before taking her on. She and I both need some time to grieve our losses.”

Then, I am released to my quarters to rest. My first meeting with the Civilian Relief Council is in the morning. I decide to stop by the younglings before resting. It’s always been one of my favorite things to do whenever I visit. I enter the room quietly, the pads on the bottom of my feet muffling my footsteps on the stone floor.

I watch as they meditate, training in Empty Mediation, the practice of silencing one’s mind. It is the first level of meditation. I stroll around the edges of the room, observing them quietly. When Master Secura ends the class for the day, she stands and turns to me, smiling. Now that all of the younglings know I’m here, many come over to meet me. Master Secura quiets them and motions at me.

“This is Master Drayhu.” They all give me small bows and greet me. I smile. “Such well behaved children.” Secura looks at the group, “Does anyone know what it is that she said?” A few children are close, but Secura finally gives up and tells them. She then dismisses the children from training for the day. I smile, rubbing the heads of a few of them as they pass.

A few look a tad annoyed but most take the gesture as it is. When Gungi comes over, I smile and give him a hug. The moment he came here, I knew I had to be there for him. Not only that, but I’m friends with his parents. I was there when he was born and when he first demonstrated his connection to the Force. I was even the one who brought him here.

I also ensure that he knows all he needs to about his family. He’s always been so grateful for that. I also visit his family regularly with stories about him so they know how their son is doing. It’s always been a pleasure of mine. Since I visited his family shortly before my trip to Ryloth, he and I walk down the halls while I tell him about his family. I also pull out the recordings from his clan.

They make them for him to tell him about Kashyyyk and daily life there. A few of my fellow masters smile and laugh when they see us. I don’t blame them. I had been adamant when Gungi was first brought here, declaring that I would be his master when he became a padawan learner. I even made a list of the masters of the temple in order of who could take him on as a padawan if I were ever unable.

It actually became a running joke at one point. Fellow masters would come and ask where they lie on the list. Among those at the top are Master Yoda, Master Plo Koon, and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Among those at the bottom include Master Mace Windu, Master Pong Krell, and Pad-..**Master** Anakin Skywalker. Come to think of it, I’ve never actually met Anakin in the proper sense.

One reason Anakin is so low is because he has only just been knighted. I was not convinced that was such a good idea. Yes, he is very good with his lightsaber, and he passed the Trial of Courage with flying colors. He passed the Trial of Flesh with comparable ease. The Trial of Insight gave him some difficulty, but he eventually got there.

I could argue that he did not pass the Trial of Skill, while others could say he passed just fine. However, any trained eye can see that he has not passed the Trial of Spirit. As I’m walking Gungi to the library, I spot one of my own former padawans. I wave and call out “Even!” The Lannik man stops, turns, and smiles, waving as we approach. When we reach him, Gungi gives a bow “Hello, Master Piell.”

Even nods “Hello there youngling, you must be Gungi.” Gungi nods and Even glances at me as he speaks. “Master Drayhu told me about you. You have inspired your fellow students to expand their horizons and learn more languages.” Gungi looks bashful but nods, knowing that he’s the reason why almost every youngling is currently learning Shyriiwook. He chuckles, looking up at me.

“And how are you Master Drayhu? It has been a long time since you were in the temple.” I nod “I have been well, Even. I decided I wanted to travel, see the galaxy. I have traveled to about 300 planets so far. I hope to one day see them all.” He chuckles “If anyone can do it, you can. Though I can’t say I don’t miss having you around.” I smile “Perhaps we can play a few games of Dejarik before you are deployed?”

He nods “I would like that. I don’t leave for several days anyway.” I nod and look down at Gungi “Let’s get you to the library shall we?” He nods and gives Even another bow, one that Even returns. Once Gungi is in the library, I decide to finally return to my room. It was good to see Even today. He’s near the top of the list of masters I’d want to train Gungi.

It’s only partially because he was once my padawan learner so many years ago. I must admit, when Master Yoda assigned him to be my padawan, I thought for sure he was doing it for his own amusement. After all, he was putting one of the shortest padawans with one of the tallest masters. I suppose at his age and rank though, that’s some of the only fun you get to have anymore.

However, as his time under my tutelage unfolded, I had to admit, Master Yoda had made an excellent decision. I was the best master to teach him to balance brute force and diplomacy. Now? Even knows when to strike, and when to lower his weapon. I suppose, in the long run, what I really taught him was to pick his battles. Always an important lesson to learn.

Even was one of many padawan learners I have taken on in my time at the temple. I have had 7 padawans in my time, adjusting my methods to teach each what they needed to learn. Even was, by far, one of my favorite padawan learners. Sadly, 2 of my 4 remaining former padawans, plus 1 of their padawans, died in the Battle of Geonosis, may they rest in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't read The Tales of Clan Danakar or Star Wars: A Nautolan story, you should, they're great and add so much more depth to all of the stories. In case you are curious though, the number at the top just before the story starts is the year. I've decided to add it periodically. FGR stands for Foundation of the Galactic Republic. To give you guys some context, 978 FGR is equivalent to 22 BBY which is the year the Battle of Geonosis started the Clone Wars.


	2. Like Master, Like Padawan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drayhu attends the first meeting of the CRC and reunites with a former padawan. She is soon sent on the first relief mission of the war, only to run into problems.

The next morning, I head to the chambers for the first meeting of the Civilian Relief Council. We have no official head yet, but the members all have experience conducting relief missions so whoever we choose will be qualified. It will be our job to clean up the messes of our fellow Jedi. I smile as I enter, immediately recognizing the face of one of my former padawans. My absolute favorite.

He smiles when he sees me, standing up from his seat to greet me. Instead of bowing or shaking my hand, he hugs me. It’s just a demonstration of our relationship. Since I can’t have any children of my own, I treat all of my padawans as my children. Most of the time, they welcome it because they’ve spent their entire lives in the Temple with masters, not parents.

Not to mention that I always make sure to take them to their homes to meet their parents (if possible). I hug him back, glad to see that he is still here. When we separate, we smile and take seats next to each other. “How are you Drayhu?” I smile “I am well, but I am glad to be able to help in this crisis. How are you Ima?”

He smiles “I am well, and I am glad to hear you are as well. As for our role here, I must say I am glad they decided to form this council.” I nod in agreement. This council is newly formed for this crisis. A shame such a need exists but we must be ready. Ima chuckles. “Like master like padawan.” I smile and nod. Many of our jobs during his time as my padawan were relief missions.

The last few members of the council enter and we finally begin. I recognize Adi Gallia and Saesee Tiin but no one else. I was told by the High Council that this council may change its members fairly consistently as some are sent into combat and others are pulled from it. However, by the time our first meeting is adjourned, it becomes quite clear that Ima and myself will be long-standing members of this council.

In fact, we are both placed in charge of the council given our extensive experience and understanding of providing relief. Ima ends up joining myself and Even in several games of Dejarik. All of my former padawans know each other on sight by now, knowing full-well how much I care for each and every one of them.

These two are the only ones to survive the Battle of Geonosis (at least of those who had not already succumbed to time).

~time skip~

I enjoy my time at the temple, greeting old friends and making new ones. It’s always been something I enjoy. Even was deployed a few weeks ago, and there’s a storm brewing on Ryloth that has the CRC’s attention. For now though, I have a mission to complete. It’s a test run, of sorts. I’m going as a representative of the council. It’s just myself and R3-D0 in my fighter.

I’ll call for backup and supplies when I need them, but I need to assess the situation first. This one should be fairly simple. The Republic has just finished securing Christophsis. As I come in to land, I realize that we have our work cut out for us. Who was in charge here?! This place is a mess! Are there **any** buildings that **weren’t** damaged?

I sigh, looking around as I land. A few clones are nearby in the airfield, backing up so I can land. One clone approaches when I shut off the engines. He’s probably the officer in charge of the garrison here. Once I’m clear, I open the hatch and hop out. The clone is looking at some kind of list or report as he speaks.

“Right on time sir. I’ve got a damage report here from our scouts. They made it just this morning so it should be fully up to date. I also have-” The moment he looks up at me, he stops talking. He looks down at the report, then back up at me. Then back down at the report, then back up at me, and back down again. He then looks at the other clones standing off to my right, his left.

“I’m not the only one right?” He asks. They shake their heads. I can’t stop the grin from forming. They must’ve forgotten to mention that small, nigh-insignificant detail to the garrison. He looks back up at me. “Master Drayhu?” I can almost see the hesitance and uncertainty on his face behind the helmet. “That’s me.” I reply with a nod. He sighs. “I’m sorry to say, General, but none of us speak Shyriiwook.”

I wave it off and turn to my ship. “Not a problem. Redo, come.” My astromech complies, hopping out of the ship and rolling over. Again, he sighs. “We also don’t speak Binary, sir. I-I’m sorry.” I shake my head and look down at R3. “Activate translation module.” “Of course Master Jedi.” He chirps. We hear a few clicks and whirs before he looks at me. “Ready when you are.”

I look at the clone. “How is this?” Not a second after I finish, a synthesized voice of indeterminate gender, speaks up from the astromech. “Master Drayhu wishes to know if this will suffice?” The clones look between each other, myself, and the astromech. “Y-Yes sir. This will work.” I nod “Good. Do you have a map of the city? I need to know how much area is in need of repair.”

As Redo relays my question, I look around the garrison. The clone nods “Yes sir. Right this way.” He motions and I follow. “What is your name?” I ask, and Redo faithfully relays my question. He looks up at me. “CT-3542. Sergeant Volt.” I nod “What resources do you have here Sergeant?” Once Redo translates, Volt is quick to start listing off assets.

Everything from body count to food stores, and from ammunition to transport ships. Good. They have a lot of the necessary supplies to start the relief efforts, but they’ll need more. We reach the command center and all of the clones turn towards the door and salute me. I wave it off “At ease. We’ve got more important things to do than follow military protocol. Who was in charge of the campaign here?”

I ask as Volt brings up a map of the cities, highlighting the war zones in red. Redo translates for me and the clones relax, one speaking up. “The commanding officers were General Kenobi and General Skywalker, sir.” I **was ** skimming the damage report, but I stop at these words. Damn it Kenobi I expected better from you. “Did they leave **any** buildings unharmed?”

Even when delivered via translator module, my question gets several laughs. They then proceed to mark the **one** building left untouched. I smack my forehead with my paw. Congratulations gentlemen. You saved **one** building from the terror of war. Good job. I look back at the damage report and start marking buildings on the map. I mark them based on the repair they require.

While I do this, I also ask if Christophsis has a representative that I can talk to to get a sense of the situation with their people. We eventually agree to send out a few clones to talk to the refugees of the city. I spend the better part of a week organizing and directing relief efforts on Christophsis. When I call the temple and the CRC, we talk about the situation here, as well as elsewhere.

Unfortunately, the situation on Ryloth has deteriorated. We take a vote and agree to send Ima-Gun Di to Ryloth to provide aid. He’ll bring the troops assigned to him to help provide protection while there, as well as to help transport supplies. I know he’ll do well and help Ryloth. We also agree to send another council member in my place, since the language barrier is costing us precious time and energy.

Especially since my astromech cannot work on getting terminals up and running if he’s busy translating for me. It’s a tragic drawback of the translator module. On top of that, troops experienced with working with the Jedi in charge would help with delegation since I have to constantly be reminded of who is capable of what. I leave it up to the rest of the CRC to determine who replaces me.

For now? There’s a bridge that is in desperate need of repairs. That night, I make sure to inform Sergeant Volt of the upcoming shift in command. To say he was relieved to hear this would be an understatement. I stay here for another two days before my fellow council member arrives with extra hands and fresh supplies. I hand over my reports and get in my ship, returning to Coruscant immediately.

I’ve got that nagging feeling that something’s wrong, but I don’t know what it is. The morning after my return to the temple, I enter a training area to find Ima already there. I smile, waiting for him to notice me. He shuts off the Marksman-H training remote (remote for short) he was using and catches it, smiling at me. He shuts off his lightsaber and gives me a bow.

“Master Drayhu. Care to spar?” I smile, drawing my own lightsaber in response. He grins, putting the remote away while I ignite my lightsaber, taking up a battle stance. Ima ignites his own lightsaber, taking up his own stance. For a moment, the room is still, with only the sounds of our deep, measured breaths to fill the silence. In a flash, I’m charging at him, swinging low.

I don’t extend as much as I would in a real fight, but it’s close enough to give the illusion that his legs will come off. It doesn’t matter though as he easily jumps back, avoiding the attack entirely. We are both well aware of the flash sabers on the wall, but we haven’t needed them in years. It’s a good challenge for us.

It tests our ability to stop at a moment’s notice, to hold an attack, and to predict oncoming attacks. Not to worry, this game started with flash sabers many years ago when Ima was my padawan. We hadn’t switched from flash sabers to lightsabers until we were able to stop every single attack before they connected. Even then, we took it slow at first, testing ourselves and each other.

Now? We can hold attacks without so much as a second thought. I don’t know how long we spar. The seconds bleed into minutes, which then bleed into hours. I only know that when we stop, we both sit on the floor, shutting off our lightsabers and spending some time catching our breaths. I look up and smile at the mirth in his eyes. I’ve always admired the striking color of blue Nikto eyes.

They shine like stars against their often rust or wood colored skin. When we stand, I give him a hug, knowing that he is due to leave for Ryloth before the day is out. He returns the hug and smiles at me, putting a hand on my shoulder when we separate. We are not fools. Ryloth is an active war zone, and there is always the chance that he will not return. I smile “May the Force protect you Ima.”

He smiles and bows his head “Thank you. Your teachings have brought me far, my Master. Should I fall on Ryloth, we shall know that it is by the will of the Force.” I nod and leave the training room with him, worried, but prepared to part with my favorite padawan.


	3. Goodbye and Hello

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Master Drayhu has a meeting with Master Yoda and her new padawan learner, and reminisces her many apprentices.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> Leh Noss belongs to my dear friend @summer_days! Her perspective is available in her story.

I knew this day might come, but I had hoped with all my heart that our places would be reversed. Why did this happen? Had I not prepared my padawans properly? No. You would not want me to think like this. For you, I will be strong. After all, your final words to me place the blame on the very thing that will let me stay connected to you and your fellow padawans.

May you rest peacefully with the Force, Ima-Gun Di. You will be sorely missed. We cannot collect Ima’s body just yet since his body is in an active war zone, so we postpone the funeral until we can retrieve his body. In the meantime, I continue to serve on the CRC and High Council, praying that my decisions do not lead more Jedi to their deaths.

~a few days later~

What is keeping Master Yoda? It’s not like him to be late. He said to meet him here in two hours…that was two hours and 37 minutes ago. Did he say two hours? I could’ve sworn that’s what he said. I’m about at the end of my patience when a pair round the corner. Master Yoda! Finally. He’s with a young Nautolan. Her lekku are completely still, lying limp down her back and on her shoulders.

My understanding of lekku are limited, but from the patterns I’ve seen with Master Fisto, I can guess that she is feeling depressed. I ask as they get near “Master Yoda, did I get the time wrong, I could’ve sworn we were supposed to meet earlier.” Master Yoda just tilts his head and gives me one of his signature knowing smiles. Oh boy. What are you up to?

“Master Drayhu, a Master without a padawan, you are.” I roll my eyes, but of course, when us Wookiees roll our eyes, our entire head moves with it. I do hope she doesn’t think I’m disagreeing with him. That mistake has occurred far too many times for my liking. I shoot Master Yoda an incredulous look but remain silent. Master Yoda ignores me and pokes the young one in the leg with his gimer stick.

Oof. That probably hurt. The girl says nothing though. “After Geonosis, a padawan without a Master, Padawan Leh Noss is.” Oh. Oh!! I focus my gaze on her. So this is Master Trebor’s padawan. I had nearly forgotten their request for me to take his place. Poor girl. Well, I’d better get the important questions out of the way. “How’s your Shyriiwook?”

She shrugs. “A little rusty, I haven’t visited the creche recently, so I haven’t really been able to practice.” At least she’s got a foundation. A little practice should clear it right up. I nod. “Can I see your lightsaber?” Padawan Noss unclips her saber from her belt and backs up before igniting the blade, flourishing it in a perfect Makashi salute. I see, Makashi. She chose to focus on saber dueling.

An interesting choice. However, her form choice matters not to me, for I understand all of them. No. What matters to me is that beautiful green it gives off. I nod. “Good, Consular green. I expected nothing less of Master Trebor.” Padawan Noss frowns, deactivating her saber and clipping it to her belt once again. “Why is it a good thing my blade is green?”

Master Yoda chuckles, and I throw him a good-natured glare, knowing the thought that just ran through his head. ‘Because she prefers Consulars to Guardians.’ “I have very little patience for most Guardians. I prefer beings who think with their heads,” I say, poking my temple, “not their feet.” I say as I point at my feet.

“And yet, upon Master Kenobi, is the title of Negotiator conferred,” Master Yoda chimes in with a smile, “And blue, his blade remains.” I roll my eyes longer this time before returning my attention to Leh Noss. “We will ignore him. As for you, Leh Noss, you have suffered a great loss. I cannot replace Master Trebor, but will you let me to finish your training?”

Leh Noss is smiling! She hasn’t smiled this entire time. That’s a good sign at least. “I accept, Master Drayhu.” Wonderful! I haven’t had a Padawan in many years. This should prove an interesting challenge for both of us. However, this development has brought about a myriad of memories I do not visit often. The first to come to mind is the day I met my own master.

I’d been running down the halls with some of my friends. Many of them had already been selected by masters for their apprenticeship. I had not. This did not bother me. After all, I had meditated many long hours before I realized that it was the stars themselves that called to me.

I was determined to join the Exploration Corps, and we had just learned that a few masters of the ExplorCorps had returned to the temple for some business with the council and the Educational Corps. I’d already talked to Master Tyvokka about joining the ExplorCorps. He had simply smiled and told me the only reason I wouldn’t be accepted is if the Force willed it. I miss Master Tyvokka.

It broke my heart to hear he died from Ma- well, I guess he was **Padawan** Plo Koon at the time. It was lonely not having another Wookiee to talk to. But I am getting off track. I was running down the hallways almost full-tilt before rounding a corner. I ran smack dab into someone and we both tumbled to the ground. I had rolled over my poor victim, landing just past them.

I quickly got up and turned to help the poor soul I had just barreled over. What I found was a Cosian male. He was about five feet tall, with green skin, gold eyes, and light blue hair. There was something about him that I couldn’t quite place. Whatever it was, it gave me this sense of peace that I’ve never felt before. He accepts my outstretched paw and I pull him to his feet with ease.

He leans down and picks up his walking stick which comes up to about his shoulder. I quickly give him a bow. “I am so sorry. Please forgive me.” He smiles “It is quite alright.” He said, his voice a little scratchy like he’d spent a lot of time yelling recently. “Eh, might I inquire as to why it is you are in such a hurry?” I wasn’t sure I wanted to, but I didn’t want to lie to him.

I’ve never liked lying. I told him about my hopes to join the ExplorCorps and my research into planetary ecosystems. “Hmm. If you’ve got some time, I could actually use such information.” “Really?” He’d nodded. “Yes,” He said, beginning to walk down the hallway. I had started following without thinking twice.

“I spend my days tracking the criminals of Coruscant. There is a black market selling a device that can, supposedly, induce earthquakes. I need to know the planets they might take that to. Do you think you could help me with that?” I had really wanted to meet the ExplorCorps masters, but this Jedi Knight was asking me to help him with his job. Who was I to say no?

After a few hours talking in the Archives, he’d turned to me with a smile. “I know you have your heart set on one of those ships, but would you consider being my padawan?” As any good initiate does when given a difficult choice, I meditated. A week later, I watched as the ExplorCorps departed, standing next to my master as his padawan. I smile at the memory.

It was the first time I realized that the Force truly does have a plan for all. If I hadn’t felt drawn to the ExplorCorps, I wouldn’t have met Master Sinube. Meeting my first padawan was a much less messy process. I’d gone to the Initiate Tournament to watch the younglings duel. I’d only been a knight for two years, but it was the Force that had drawn me there and thus by its will that I stayed to watch.

One participant caught my eye. He was a Houk, with deep violet skin, and yellow eyes. He was only a few inches shorter than me, but Houks can get bigger. He was the only one using a non-traditional lightsaber. A lightclub. Despite the unrefined reputation of both the weapon and its wielder, he had a structure that showed off his control.

The boy’s main problem was the same vice that had brought me to Master Sinube. He was impatient. Looking around at my other masters, I was the only one of comparable size to the youngling, and the only master here who practiced Form V **and** used a non-traditional lightsaber. I knew I had to be the one to teach him.

His saber might’ve been a different color from mine, but I knew others wouldn’t understand the difficulties beings our size face every day. By morning, Opar Tas had happily become my first padawan learner. His boney head and large stature would make anyone see him as being stubborn and thick-headed. Which he was.

However, after many years of meditation, lessons in patience, and conversations, he came to overcome his impatience and reach a sense of peace. My second padawan was something of an accident. I’d gone to the Archives a month after Opar had passed his trials and become a Jedi Peacekeeper to read about more planets. The stars still called to me.

While there, the chief librarian came to me, asking if I might be able to help some younglings on an assignment. The children were polite and only asked for clarifications since I couldn’t give them the answers. Among them was a male Zabrak who stayed quiet almost the entire time.

At first I thought he’d ignored me when I asked if he had any questions, but his classmates admitted that he was half-deaf and everyone must speak up when talking to him. I later saw him researching Iridonia. I’d gone there with Sinube when chasing after a criminal. I asked him if he wanted to see the planet. He’d nodded, saying he wanted to see all of them.

This rang with me and I couldn’t hide my smile. I invited him to become my padawan and join me on a relief mission there. He’d agreed immediately and I told him to meditate on it first. The next morning, Zerusu was waiting at the docks with Master Yoda. Zerusu was a lot more willing to learn than his predecessor.Training Zerusu was a whole new challenge though.

Not only was he half-deaf, but he’d chosen to wield a flail instead of a lightsaber. At least he was smart enough to entwine it with cortosis to prevent lightsabers from cutting it. After Zerusu was knighted he went on to join the ExplorCorps as a Jedi Researcher. I couldn’t have been more proud of him. The Force may have called me to the stars, but it did not call me to the far reaches like it called Zerusu.

It was after Zerusu’s training that I became a member of the High Council, an honor I did not take lightly. Master Yoda and the rest of the council were the ones to assign Even Piell as my third padawan. I still swear Yoda was just having fun. Even also thought Yoda was joking. “Joking, I am not.” The old master had replied after being accused of doing so by the initiate.

Even was as thick-headed as Opar Tas and couldn’t always tell when was the time to talk and the time to fight. I taught him when to end talks and fight. Even was not the best talker, but he often tried when he should have relied on his blade. He liked to fight with me. A lot. Or at least, he did at first. It only took me about a month to drill that out of him.

Once he finally dropped the tough guy act around me, I was able to properly begin his training, though he still likes to argue with me. My fourth padawan was a Cerean girl named Jychi Crurre. Like Leh she was polite and quiet when we met. She wasn’t confident in herself or her decisions when it came to talking. Actually, Jychi was my first padawan to have a standard lightsaber (Even used a shoto).

Funny how life works, huh? Jychi and I did a lot of traveling initially, but it slowed down as I realized that my padawan did not enjoy traveling much at all. Instead, I decided to have her help me record all of my findings from other trips into the Archives. That was something she couldn’t get enough of.

When she was knighted, she became a Jedi Lore Keeper, allowing her to translate and transcribe our Archives all day every day. She later became the Chief Librarian, an honor she held until her death. Shortly after Jychi was knighted, a criminal attacked a Jedi Ambassador on their way into the temple.

Opar, who was working Temple Security as a Jedi Brute at the time, stepped in to protect his fellow Jedi. The criminal had a grenade. Only the Jedi Ambassador survived. Losing Opar reminded me of the most painful lesson Sinube taught me. It will take 400 years for me to be considered old in my culture. In that time, five human and near human lifetimes can come and go.

I had prepared myself to lose Opar to time, but failed to account for premature death. I started taking every relief mission I could and refused to take on a padawan. I needed time to center myself again. I didn’t take on another padawan for almost 50 years. I hadn’t planned to take on Simul Kask as a padawan either.

She was human, fragile, and so very temporary, but as I said before, the Force exerts its will on all of us. I didn’t find Simul. Simul found me. More specifically, she found me in the Archives. “Master Drayhu is an expert. Why don’t you ask her?” I tried not to sigh at Jychi’s suggestion. I should at least hear the child speak. “Excuse me, Master Drayhu?”

I’d turned and she had asked if I would train her in exotic weapons. I hadn’t expected the request but agreed nonetheless. It was only to train her to use her weapon of choice, not an apprenticeship. She was not made for the lightclub, but I had experience with double-bladed lightsabers, lightsaber pikes, and flails. She wanted to learn to use the whip.

I knew Zerusu wasn’t ready for another padawan, so I simply took what I knew from training him, and applied it to teaching her. Flails and whips rely on establishing distance and maintaining it. With Zerusu, I’d based his training in Form III, Seresu, a defensive style designed to protect against multiple enemies. For Simul, I changed tactics and trained her in Form VI, Niman.

Niman is a highly balanced form of lightsaber combat and the only one to focus on incorporating the Force. I decided that maintaining distance with a light whip would require constant adjustments. Simul had no skill in Form IV (Ataru) so Niman was the next best thing. Simul was poised and focused, perhaps a bit too much at times, not allowing herself any time to relax.

I regret that I never taught her to have fun during her training. She later became a Jedi Ambassador and the temple’s only whip specialist. Come to think of it, I don’t believe she ever learned how to relax. Two years after Simul was knighted, I was asking the youngling instructors about younglings who showed an interest in traveling.

They directed me to Asyr Chito, a Pantoran girl with a gift for Force healing. I’d never met a healer before. Asyr was noticeably afraid of me. Well actually, she was already afraid of everything. I was just extra scary to her. **Great**. Jychi had been nervous and unsure, but I had never had a padawan fear me before. This posed a new challenge. One I wasn’t sure I could overcome.

I started with a simple moderator mission between two important families on Alderaan. There was no danger there. The only thing she had to be afraid of was me. Which means I had ample opportunity to get her over her fear of me. After the moderator mission, I took her to Rodia to help the citizens of a sinking city. This time, she had to overcome her fear of the world around her.

There were plenty of threats, both living and non-living, for her to face there. Finally, I took her to Hutt Space to negotiate the return of a man to his family. This time, she had to worry about those around her. Through all of these experiences, and many more like them, she came to trust in herself and me. I found Ima in the Room of a Thousand Fountains.

I was only passing by when I spotted the youngling with a flash saber. It was late, and all younglings should’ve been in their beds for the night, and they **definitely** shouldn’t have had a flash saber. I was about to interrupt when I realized what he was doing. He was doing cadences. More specifically, he was doing Form V cadences. I entered the room and he immediately shut off the flash saber.

I asked him how he had a flash saber. He admitted that a fellow youngling had gotten it after class to practice for the tournament in the morning and he was borrowing it. He handed over the flash saber without a fight and I escorted him to bed with the understanding that I would discuss this with his creche-master in the morning.

In the morning, I attended the Initiate Trials and Apprentice Tournament. It seemed most of the younglings that round were following Forms II and IV, and most carried blue lightsabers. Guardians. I hadn’t had a Guardian padawan since Opar Tas about 100 years before. The few Consular younglings had already been claimed by another master.

I hadn’t been planning on taking on another padawan just yet. I usually liked to wait a bit in between to have time to myself. Then I saw him duel. The boy’s form was clunky, showing how little practice he had in the form, but what he knew was well ingrained and only time stood between him and fluidity.

I still hadn't wanted a padawan, but I’d learned over those many long years just how powerful the Force can be. Regardless of what you may want, if the Force wants something different, the Force always wins. Ima had been scared when I came to him, afraid I would get him in trouble and have him kicked from the Order. You can imagine his surprise when I invited him to be my padawan.

Ima was an obedient padawan, sometimes to a fault. It took a lot to ensure him that I did not hold his actions as an initiate against him. When he broke through that shell of self-deprecation though, he truly became a force of nature.

I wonder how Leh Noss will be. Will she talk back like Even? Will she be scared like Asyr? Will she be too obedient like Ima? Will she be stubborn like Opar? Will she be reserved like Zerusu and Jychi? Will she be eager like Simul? Does she fear the galaxy that killed her master?


	4. Know Your Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Master Drayhu and Leh get to know each other and set some expectations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I STRONGLY recommend you read Leh's perspective of this chapter (story by @summer_days called In The Path of a Hurricane - chapter 5)

They really do need bigger chairs. Don’t get me wrong, the Temple Archives has chairs of just about every size and shape...all except for mine. I’m tall, but I’m not **big**. The closest to my size I can find is the seat Master Tyvokka used to use. Master Tyvokka was broader than I am and taller.

So still, the chair does not fit me. Perhaps it is childish to complain about something so trivial, but after so many decades spent in and around the Archives, I would hope they would have a chair for me. I need to focus though. I’ve been working on this report of the changing seismic activity of Ryloth.

From what I’ve seen, the rock slides have increased 5% over the last 10 years, but the number of earthquakes have not increased. Strange. I wonder if the ExplorCorps has any equipment to test this. Perhaps modern equipment simply can’t pick up the tremors that cause the rock slides. Or perhaps the rock slides are increasing in frequency due to the increased number and severity of earthquakes the decade before.

So many possible answers, and I do not have the means to test my theories nor devise the answers. I’m almost done inputting these numbers though. Almost done. This list was **far** too long, but it will be worth it to see what they tell us. I sense a presence, but I’ve been sensing that a lot today with younglings coming in to get datacards for their lessons so I ignore it.

“Master Drayhu, your padawan is here.” That’s Jocasta’s voice. A flash of sadness emanate from somewhere near Jocasta, and I have a feeling it belongs to Padawan Noss. I save the data I put in onto the datacard. While the terminal finishes its task, I turn around in my chair to face them. Oh this poor child.

A more inexperienced master might try to emulate her previous master, or perhaps try to console her. I know better. Not from experience on the master end, but on the padawan end. When I lost Opar, I was sure I’d never have another padawan again. Thinking back on it, I feel sorry for Simul. I wasn’t as invested in her training as I should have been.

It’s a good thing she didn’t need a lot of guidance, since I did not provide much of any. Master Sinube forced me to think of Opar’s answers, his responses. He would have hollered till the wroshyr trees of Kashyyyk shook with his words. Opar was not afraid to scold me. I still hear him sometimes. I snap out of my stupor and throw Jocasta a smile. “Thank you, young one. If anyone calls for us…we’re not here.”

I sense confusion from Padawan Noss. Why? What did I say? She said she was a bit out of practice so I tried to use simpler words when I spoke. I didn’t slip into Xaczik, did I? I don’t think I did. I haven’t gotten to practice it since Master Tyvokka died. Gungi’s still learning it, which is slow going since I’m the only one he can really practice with.

Jocasta smiles “Of course. And, if it is Master Yoda, or another member of the council?” “I did not stutter. We are not here. That goes double for any council member. **Especially**, Master Yoda.” Jocasta gives a small bow, “Understood.” turns, and leaves the section we are in. It’s quiet for a moment as I struggle to find a topic that shouldn’t automatically remind her of Master Trebor.

My terminal beeps and inspiration strikes. “Ever been to Ryloth?” I ask, glancing between her and the screen. She’s still very confused, but at least she replies. “Um, no, I’ve never been to any planet, actually, other than Coruscant.” I could say that I’m surprised, but that’s not the right word.

I remember the words of my own master to me when Simul was about halfway through her training. ‘You are as much a part of his legacy, as he is a part of yours. He would not have wanted you to move on? To train more? To see more of the galaxy?’ I know Master Trebor liked talking to people and knowing the situation on the different worlds, but that doesn’t mean he traveled a lot.

In fact, I remember him traveling quite a bit at the beginning of his time as a knight, but he slowed down in the later years. Kriff. I was hoping to talk about where she’s been, but that option is no longer viable. So, how else can I get her to talk? …I tilt my head at her. She’s a Nautolan, like Kit Fisto…they’re amphibious. I’ve never been to Glee Anselm.

I wonder if Master Fisto’s told her about it… “You’re a Nautolan, yes?” “Yes.” I sense something between annoyance and humor. Well at least there’s something. “Which means you were probably born on Glee Anselm, correct?” Again, there’s the annoyance and humor, but it’s less than it was before. “I was, but I don’t remember any of it.” I nod slowly.

Whatever she’s feeling, she’s not showing it to me. I’ll have to see about getting her to open up a little more. “And what do you know of it? I’m sure you must have studied the planet at some point during your time as an Initiate. If not, then I would hope Master Fisto would have told you something about it.”

“Master Fisto told me a little - it’s one of the topics of our language lessons. He said Nautolans aren’t the only species that live there, that the planet is shared between a species on land and the Nautolans. And, um…he said the two species don’t get along.” I sense she is still **very** confused. Come to think of it, I don’t know much about Glee Anselm myself. I’ve never been to a water world.

Well, not yet at least. I do know where the datacards would be. At the very least, she should know more than that. So, I stand. “Then let’s see what else we can learn.” I walk past the shelves of desert planets. “Glee Anselm is over 50% ocean and we classify it as a water world, so it will be in this section here.” I say, more to myself, than Padawan Noss, but I sense her eyes follow me as I walk.

“Let’s see, Glee Anselm is a Mid Rim world so it would be in the third shelf. Sooo..Ando, Cogalle, Cols, Crul, Danalbeth, Doreen, Entrus, Eriscot, ah! Glee Anselm.” I grab all of the datacards about Glee Anselm and return to Padawan Noss. I return to the terminal, placing the cards I’d grabbed in a small stack next to my terminal. I grab my datacard on Ryloth and look at Leh Noss.

“Pick one to start with, little one. I need to get this filed away.” I say, turning towards the shelves once again. “You know, I am seventeen standard years of age, and my species does not consider that little.” I pause, looking down at the little Nautolan standing before me. I see. So she’s going to sass me like Even? Well, at least that should make our conversations a bit more interesting.

“The diminutive was not there as a comment to your age, young one, but rather, to our difference in height.” She nods. “Understandable.” I head off the the arid planet section to put the datacard with the other ones about Ryloth. I’d already talked to Jocasta so she has the datacard in her records.

All I have to do is file it away properly, something that can be difficult with digits as large as mine and a shelf as tightly packed as the one on Ryloth. I return to find Leh reading the datacard on Glee Anselm geography. We spend the rest of the day studying and discussing Glee Anselm geography, non-sentient flora, non-sentient fauna, architecture, and sentient fauna.

The next day, we meet up in the Archives again and move on to the other halls of the Archives, studying culture, history, politics, and everything we have on the Nautolans. I want her to understand how important it is to know where you come from. As a Jedi, your culture looks to you represent them accurately to the galaxy.

I was lucky to have Master Tyvokka around to teach me about Life Day, the most important holiday in Wookiee culture, as well as the concept of life debts and honor families. I, myself, have no life debt to repay just yet, but I have named my legacy as a Jedi my honor family. Thus, I have sworn to lay down my life for them and their honor families.

I make sure to teach Leh the basics of the honor family, since she is now a part of mine. I also show her the bands I wear on my left forearm. Each band is of a different material with either a family crest or a signature on it. I have one from each of my padawans, and I ask Leh to make me one so that, when she is knighted, I can wear it alongside the others.

I also give her a band made of wroshyr wood to wear on her lekku alongside her padawan band with my signature on it. A symbol of her membership in my honor family and my protection. This is a sacred act for Wookiees and I am pleased when she treats it as such. Her time in the Senate building with Master Trebor has taught her well. I am blessed to have her as my padawan and a part of my honor family.

I also tell her the names of the other living members of the honor family. There are, sadly, very few of them. The ones she should concern herself with include Even Piell, my third padawan, Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu, my grandpadawan through my second padawan Zerusu, and Stass Allie, my grandpadawan through my sixth padawan, Asyr Chito.

Last, but certainly not least, is Tera Sinube, her grandmaster and my master. All of these members agreed to help other members of the honor family, if they were able. Again, I am proud to see that she understands the responsibility this brings. As we leave the Archives, we pass Jocasta and Leh flags her down, apparently having a question of the Chief Librarian.

“Do you happen to know how old Master Drayhu is?” She asks quietly. I smile, leaving them to their devices. Let them talk. I have research of my own to do. I make sure to introduce her to Even Piell when he stops by the Temple in between deployments. Even helps me introduce Leh to a game I like to play with my padawans that teaches blade control, something Even severely lacked when he was my padawan.

After a bit of lightsaber training, we all sit down for a game of Dejarik. He beat both of us, me more easily than Leh. Enjoy it while it lasts, Even. For one day, I swear, be it the will of the Force, I will beat you in Dejarik. Just you wait. It took a lot of reading, and several calls, but I finally found them. Why are beings so hard to track down?

Even the ones that aren’t actively hiding seem to be impossible to find sometimes. At least, it always seems to feel that way. No matter. I am well-versed in this particular type of hunt so I know a few tricks to help me find my answers faster. I smile as I lead Leh to the docks where we hop into our fighters. I have my own, but Leh was granted permission to use one from the Temple for this trip.

I silently thank Master Yoda for helping me with this. He honestly lets me get away with a lot more than he should, but you won’t hear me complaining about this. I smile as I send Leh our destination coordinates. “Master Drayhu,” she calls over the comms as we attach to the hyperspace rings, “why are we going to Glee Anselm?” My smile only gets bigger.

“Field trip. We’ve read about it, but I feel you ought to see it with your own eyes.” I sense some hesitation from her but I send her reassurance through the Force as Redo sets the hyperdrive. We arrive in the Glee Anselm system in the Jalor sector at the same time. I give Leh a minute to process the awe I sense in her as I observe our destination.

Glee Anselm’s island chains and marshes dot the light blue surface with lush greens and browns as wispy clouds float lazily in the atmosphere. In one area, I can see a cyclone on the water’s surface, slowly drifting towards the land. It’s a good thing we’re not going there. I call Leh. “Ready, Leh?” “Ready for what?” I chuckle.

Oh you sweet child, “You didn’t actually think I was going to take you all the way here and not let you land, now did you?” I almost sense her gasp through the Force, followed by immense anticipation. I lead the way to the planet, detaching from the hyperspace ring and waiting for Leh to do the same before plunging to the planet’s surface.

We land on a beach and I hop out, pulling out a breathing apparatus that resembles the gear Plo uses on a day to day basis. Again, I sense confusion. I turn to see her staring between me and the water. I smile. “Of course we’re going in, Leh. Why bring you so close only to deny you a chance to see the Nautolan city beneath our feet?”


	5. Family Tradition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drayhu's tradition continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *It's still the first year of the Clone Wars, I just wanted to remind you all (and myself) of the year again in our timeline. As a reminder, FGR is the Foundation of the Galactic Republic

978 FGR*

She stares, dumbstruck as I pull off my clothes, leaving the sash that crosses my torso since it holds my lightsaber in place on my back. A Jedi must never be without their lightsaber. I work on getting the oxygen tank situated along with the mask and goggles. Before I put any of the facial equipment in place, I turn to see Leh’s just staring at me in disbelief.

I grin. “Hurry up, Leh. We have an appointment and it would be rude to be late.” This spurs the young Nautolan into action. She pulls off her robes to reveal the skin-tight underlayer I told her to put on before we left the Temple. All species have an underlayer available to them for swimming classes. I fix the equipment to my head, my goggles clear so I can see, and give Leh a nod.

We enter the water. It is cool and I thank my genetics for my water-shedding hair and wide digits. These help me not to sink and to better push my way through the water. I let Leh look around a bit as I take the opportunity to admire the beautiful whales that swim lazily by. Looking down, I can see the city sprawled out below us. It is not a busy or large city, but it is a good representation of the smaller ones.

I don’t move until I feel Leh’s attention is on me. I smile, leading her silently into the depths. I lead her over the streets and separate of the crowds. She will get the chance to explore them later and I will draw so much attention that we will be late. I don’t want to worry them. I believe they’ve waited long enough. Leh too.

I lead Leh over bustling streets, tall buildings growing out of the sea floor like seaweed, and past many smiling Nautolan faces. I lead her to a modest-looking house in a quiet part of the city. I swim up to the door and knock. The door is answered by a Nautolan with skin the same color as Leh’s. The patterning on his lekku is darker than Leh’s, and his eyes are a dark red.

He’s confused for a moment before recognition sets in. “Master Drayhu?” I nod and he waves us in. “Please come in.” Considering the fact that he’s not acting on the mounting excitement and nervousness swirling around him, I can assume that he has quite a bit of self-restraint. He won’t have to restrain himself for long. I bow and enter with Leh. The house is modest, but well-maintained.

I know from my research and communications with the residents that they have the money to live somewhere bigger, but they prefer their home as it is. He comes around in front of us, glancing at Leh before directing his attention at me. “I am Antva. If you could wait here a moment, I will go get my wife and daughter, they are just upstairs.”

I nod and he swims off, following an upward current generated by the shape of the house to the second floor. I can practically taste Leh’s curiosity through my breathing tube. Still, I remain silent. If she asks, I will give her an answer. But if she doesn’t ask, I won’t tell her. He soon rejoins us in what I can assume is the main sitting room with two ladies in tow.

One is close to Leh’s age, his daughter, while the other is older, his wife. The two also have blue skin, but his wife’s skin is lighter than Leh’s and her husband’s. His daughter’s skin is the same shade as her father’s but with lighter patterning on her lekku. Both his wife and daughter also have black eyes like Leh.

The father gives us a bow of his head. “Master Jedi, this is my wife, Osu, and my daughter, Yai.” I switch on the translation module in my oxygen mask. I clear my throat. “Can you understand me?” I ask the family. They nod. I can sense their anticipation clearly. I didn’t tell them exactly why I was coming, only that I had news for them from the Jedi Temple regarding their daughter.

“Antva, Osu, I am Master Drayhu. As I told you in my message, I am here with news, regarding your second born.” They nod to show they are following me. Here it comes. “Fourteen years ago, you trusted our Order to raise, protect, and train her to be a Jedi.” Again, they nod, and I can see the mother look at Leh again. “Now, I have brought her home to you.” I say, motioning to Leh.

Leh’s jaw drops as she looks between me and the family. No. Between me and **her** family. I smile, putting a paw on her shoulder, and turning her so she faces them. I back up a little. Families need time for this part. I let them stare at each other in silence, taking each other in and processing this news. Leh, apparently having no better ideas, bows. Perhaps we trained her to be a little too polite.

Osu swims up to her and gently lifts her head with one hand on her chin. The amount of adoration, anxiety, and apprehension flowing from Osu is palpable as she asks quietly “Leh?” Leh’s response is only a little louder than the question. “Hello, mother.” Osu quickly pulls Leh into a bone-crushing hug. This. This is what I love most about this tradition of mine.

I know some disapprove of it, but I refuse to stop. How can I when the reward is seeing the looks on their faces and feeling their joy fill the space? No. I’ll never stop. I only wish I could have done this for Zerusu. I found his parents, but they were dead. I took him to their graves though, so he could have something. Master Tyvokka inspired this tradition when he took me to meet my own parents.

Wookiee culture is centered around your clan, so it was almost out of necessity that he did so. However, Jedi are not parents. The bond that binds a being to their family gives a Jedi immeasurable fortitude in the Force, but only if they recognize it. It settles the heart and calms the mind, easing a nagging sensation many don’t even notice.

My own draw to the stars had calmed some when I met my parents. I suppose, in a way, it was the Force’s way of telling me that I had to meet them. It was after meeting them that I realized I wanted to understand the geography of planets. I craved seeing all of the types of planets. Deserts, oceans, plains, forests, tundras, swamps, ad infinitum.

I smile at the hugging family, talking in Nautila. My eyes meet Osu’s and I bow, turning to the door. “Leaving so soon, Master Jedi?” I turn to them, smiling. “I have a meeting with your Council representative.” I look at Leh and can sense a small nagging anxiety within her.

“Leh, meet me back at the fighters in 50 hours. That gives you the rest of today, all of tomorrow, and a few hours the morning after. Understood?” She beams and nods, giving me a deep bow. “Of course, Master Drayhu.” I nod. “Have fun!” I say, leaving the family to reconnect in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to read Leh's perspective and her time in the house after Drayhu leaves, check out In the Path of A Hurricane by summer_days. A link to the story is in the first chapter.


	6. In the Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drayhu reflects on her previous trips, the families of her padawans, and leaves Glee Anselm.

I make my way to the Council representative’s office. I do actually have a meeting with him. He is a kind, elderly, dark green Nautolan who eagerly lets me into their library, calling on a meteorologist to tell me about any changes in weather patterns that have occurred lately. I spend the rest of the day taking notes and creating a datacard on undersea systems. I am offered a place to sleep where they can drain the water from the room and refill my oxygen tank.

I am ever so grateful for it. I am too tired to swim back up to the surface and find my fighter. I enter a hallway that reminds me of an airlock in a ship. It closes, seals, and drains the water out the bottom. Once the lights change from red to blue, I carefully remove my breathing apparatus, placing it against a wall. Every strand of hair on my body is dripping streams of water onto the floor and into my face. I take off my lightsaber and sash, placing them next to the oxygen tank.

I take a deep breath, tense my muscles, and **shake**. When I stop, I’m no longer dripping, but my fur is damp. I smile, grabbing my sash and wringing out the cloth before putting it back over my shoulder. I secure my sash then holster my lightsaber and pick up the oxygen tank, mask, and goggles. I walk to the door at the other end of the hall, unlocking the door to a dry guest room. There are towel-like blankets in the closet and I decide to put one on the bed so it’s not completely soaked in the morning.

I take a seat by the window overlooking the marketplace below, crossing my legs to meditate. I let my consciousness slip, allowing the Force to guide my senses. I can feel the planet’s energy, its peace, its turmoil, its light, its dark, its joy, and its pain. Through the Force, I can feel the very essence of the planet pulsing, radiant in the Force. Yes, this planet is healthy and comfortable in the guiding light of the Force. I love doing this. I do not say I have been to a planet until I have connected with it through the Force.

I have thus, officially, been to Glee Anselm, my first water world. I am glad to cross this one off my list. It has taken me far longer than I wanted to visit one. I try to visit new planets as often as possible. I feel like it gives me a good grasp of the galaxy. Not to mention that, when I connect with the planet through the Force, I get a sense of its place in the galaxy and its relationship with the Force. Some planets do not have a good relationship with the Force.

Some planets are harder to connect to. It took me over an hour to connect with Kintan. With the harshness of the planet, one would think it did not care for its children. It does. However, it is not strong with the Force as a planet and thus cannot always provide for its children. So, instead of making itself better, which would have taken centuries, it devotes its energy to its children so that they may survive with what it has for them. It provides the necessities and the knowledge of how to get them.

All things considered, Leh and her family caught on slower than some of my other padawans and their families. Ima’s family had us figured out the moment he got out of his fighter, rushing over to hug him. I didn’t even get the chance to prepare him. They introduced themselves to him, his sister quickly pushing him into the mud by the river once he was released. I had decided to leave them to it and explore the nearby area.

I can’t help but laugh into the empty room as I remember how Ima had yelled after me. “Wait! Master Drayhu!” “Yes, Ima?” “Am I allowed to push her back?” At the time, I couldn’t believe my ears. I’d simply smiled, putting a paw on his shoulder. “Ima, I am leaving to explore. I will be back in 4 rotations. What you do in that time is none of my business.” I’d tapped his cheek and left him to it, asking his sister to teach him to make trouble saying “it’s no fun with him doing everything I tell him all the time.”

His sister had failed on that front, but he was much more outspoken after that. Simul and her family didn’t believe me when I told them Simul was theirs. Her mother insisted Simul couldn’t be her’s since ‘her daughter had her pale blonde hair’ while Simul’s was a dirty blonde, like her father. I reminded them that hair often darkens in humans with age.

They had also declared that Simul was too short, but I shut them down by pointing out that she was not done growing. Convincing parents that the child in front of them is theirs was not something I had been taught to handle in my training. I am not keen on returning to Corellia any time soon. Too many buildings, not enough nature. Much like Coruscant I suppose. Perhaps that is why I try to limit my time at the Temple. I love the Temple, but I dislike Coruscant.

Because of this lack of nature, Corellia and Coruscant are not well intune with the Force. It is present, but there is a disconnect between it and the planet with all of the buildings and technology and its inhabitants rushing about. The Force on Corellia was restless, like a compulsive twitch. It smelled too, like exhaust. One could attribute that to their pilots, but it is the Force of the planet that smells like exhaust. Of people coming and going but never staying.

The planet is not content as it is though, so its children are known to be just as restless. I cannot tell if this came about due to the Force being restless here, or because all of its children were travelers. Our records do not go far enough back to clarify anything. Finding Opar’s family proved more difficult than it should have been since they were not on their homeworld nor on the world they had been when Opar was brought to the Temple. So, Opar and I spent some time simply trying to find his parents.

The trip took us to the Houk homeworld of Lijuter, Sriluur, - homeworld of the Weequay and where his parents were living when Opar was brought to the Temple - and finally to Lothal where we found them. Of course, I insisted we meditate on each one before leaving. Lijuter was a desert world, with very little plant life. The harshness of the planet was designed to challenge its inhabitants to get better, but long before the Galactic Republic was founded, during the Galactic War, the planet suffered in the Force.

The planet, which was once balanced, was thrown out of alignment by the war between the Jedi and the Sith. It had such a well-balanced relationship with the Force, but the war, with all of the accompanying death threw it out of alignment. This resulted in many of the Houks leaving the planet. Many Jedi Researchers have theorized that most of the Houks were Force-sensitive, sensing the distress of the planet as it cried out in pain but had no means of communicating its pain aside from sandstorms.

Sriluur is primarily a desert world with some dry scrub-land and rocky badlands. The Houks didn’t have to adjust to the climate much at all. Sriluur does its level best to make life difficult for its inhabitants. It is not that it doesn’t care about them, it just enjoys messing with beings. Compared to the previous two, Lothal was a regular water world. It has no deserts like Sriluur or Lijuter. Like Sriluur, it also has rock formations. However Lothal’s geography has a lot more variety than the other two.

Everything from low prairies and semi-arid savannah, to tall mountains that pierce the sky, to the marshes that make cities sink into the ground. His parents lived in the semi-arid savannah, the closest they could find to the place they lived when they were on Sriluur. I had not been to any of these before then so you won’t hear me complaining about it. Opar, on the other hand, was quite vocal about his complaints. I chuckle at the memory of how his parents were just as critical of the galaxy as their son.

I think my favorite one was actually Jychi Crurre’s. We had not traveled in some time and I had surprised her with the location, delaying telling her for as long as I could. I eventually told her that I had been given permission to study a planet that does not normally permit outsiders. She was thrilled to learn it was Cerea. She was excited the entire way, simply grateful to get the chance to see her homeworld.

When we arrived, I told her we had a meeting with the Cereans that vouched for me, so I must thank them before I began my studies. She had agreed. I had needed to tell her parents upfront about the true nature of my visit - both reasons - to get the permission I needed. I did try to keep Jychi from finding out though, keeping all of my answers as vague as possible. She saw through my ruse right away, however, when we entered the house since her younger sister looked just like her.

She had only 1 rotation with her family since I was granted a shorter stay than I usually do being an outsider. Cerea was perhaps the most loving, peaceful manifestation of the Force I have ever seen. It wants only for its children and planet to grow and live. However, it is also very possessive of its children and thus drove them to close their planet off from outsiders. Asyr Chito’s family was quite surprised to meet her, but grateful for the opportunity.

She had a big family, even by Pantoran standards. She was one of 5 children, and all of her siblings were brothers. She was grateful to get back to the Temple, saying she missed the peace and quiet. Pantora is a beautiful moon whose connection to the Force is fleeting, as though it had a presence there once, but has since lost that once strong connection. However I found no evidence of such a connection in the Archives, which leads me to believe they lost their connection long ago.

Even was…difficult. Not because of his family, they were quite accommodating. No, it was because **he** was being difficult. I had pulled him away from his saber lessons - I cannot teach normal lightsaber combat. He did not like it, and he made this opinion known. The entire way to Lannik, he kept demanding to know why I had pulled him away and how he’d been so close to winning. I almost went back to the Temple. Almost. I had never been to Lannik which was the only reason we kept going.

It was when he started questioning my decision to come to Lannik that I got fed up with him and I got very still. Even, sensing the shift, quieted a bit. “Master Drayhu?” “Don’t let me stop you, Even. That is a mighty big hole you’ve dug for yourself. If you keep going, maybe you’ll find your grave.” That had quieted him immediately. Even was good at picking up the subtleties of my phrases. I wasn’t threatening to kill him. It was a reminder to watch his tongue for there are consequences for every action and misplaced word.

Zerusu’s was the saddest by far. His parents had died before the council found him, but I was able to find their grave and take him there to pay his respects and to meditate there. We spent the rest of the trip talking to beings that knew them.

I smile as I watch Leh and her family step out of the water onto the beach. Leh is practically glowing with her newfound joy, but also budding sadness at having to leave. I let them say their goodbyes as I store my diving gear. “Behave, little one.” Antva tells her. “No promises.” She replies, mischief dancing around her sadness. He huffs out a chuckle. Osu’s despair is palpable. This is always the hardest part. I bring them their beloved children, only to take them away again. It is the cruelest part of the trip.

For a day or so they can pretend to be a normal family, only to lose it once again. In this way, I suppose Zerusu’s trip was easiest. There was no painful goodbye, no heartfelt hugs. Only he and I meditating at his parents’ graves. “Stay safe,” I hear, and I know Osu wants to say more. They always do. “I will.” I sense slight regret from Leh, but Osu calms some at her words so she says nothing. “Then may the blessings of the Force be with you.” Believe it or not, Simul and Asyr’s parents all but begged them to leave the order.

Simul almost caved to her parents’ demands, but the Force called her to the temple, and we left. Asyr had no problems deciding. She loved the order and the temple. Jychi’s family encouraged her to continue her studies, and she never regretted the decision. Opar, Ima, and Even’s families are like Leh’s, they let their child decide, let them go. I can hear the water splash a little. Her parents have returned to the water. I sense gratitude from Leh as I turn to face her.

“Ready to go?” She nods, and I get the sense she is trying not to look back. Another difficulty of this stage of the trip. “I’m ready.” I turn back to my fighter. “And, Master?” I look back over my shoulder at her. If Nautolans had tear ducts, I think she would have tears forming. “Thank you.” And that, right there, is what makes all the paperwork, and all the sadness, worth it.

I place my paw on her shoulder, leaning down so she doesn’t have to look up at me. “Nothing warms my heart more than to see you as you are, my padawan. Radiant and solid in the Force.” I smile, standing tall again and giving her shoulder a squeeze.

“Come, Leh, the galaxy needs all the Jedi we can give it, and lucky for it, I have a perfectly capable one right here.” I climb into my fighter, and Leh does the same. Together, we plot a course for the temple, the roar of our hyperdrives our last goodbye to Glee Anselm.


	7. Curse You Dooku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drayhu and Leh go to Ryloth.

Leh Noss has shown a love of learning and growth. Thanks to her endless practice, her Shyriiwook has improved tremendously. It is a good thing too, since I despise the way Redo translates for me, but I am getting off track.  As I expected, Leh Noss is patient and knows the planets fairly well from her time in political meetings with Master Trebor.

She did not, however, have experience on the ground and in the thick of things.  I always admired Master Trebor’s colloquialism, but I cannot do that. I have no skill for politics. My expertise is in the problems that plague planets, the occasional things that make life difficult for the natives.  Ryloth is prone to earthquakes and rockslides. Sembla is prone to volcanic eruptions.

Rodia and Pantora are prone to buildings sinking into the marshes due to collapsing support structures.  Iridonia is prone to dust storms, while Kashyyyk and Toydaria are prone to violent rain storms and floods. Lannik and Dorin are prone to famines when the rain is light and Kintan is prone to overflow of the magma fields.

I remember the many times Master Trebor would come to me before his political meetings to discuss the state of a politician’s planet. Of course, that was early on in his career. As he progressed, he came to see the patterns, as I have.  Planets with similar ecosystems struggle with similar issues. Any planet with even minor volcanic activity will be devastated by an increase in that activity.

Planets with marshes or swamps are prone to sinking buildings.  A planet with dense vegetation is prone to massive rainstorms. Desert planets suffer from dust/sand storms, and famine. I have been to about 300 planets, and I do not intend to slow down any time soon.  We’re sending a Jedi to Ryloth with medicine and food for the civilians Kenobi is freeing.

He hasn’t freed them yet but he’s assured us that he will. The High Council and I are inclined to take his word on that. He has proven to us that his word is one we can rely on...unlike some.  The Civilian Relief Council is having a brief meeting to identify the supplies we are providing, where they can be picked up, how we are getting them there, and who is taking them.

Leh Noss is sitting against the wall behind me as we all take our seats.  I can sense a few of my fellow Masters are wary of Leh’s presence, though they have no reason to. After all, the most confidential information we discuss are troop movements, information available to all padawans.

I glance around the room. “I have brought my padawan with me because I am of the belief that, now more than ever, we must remind our younglings and padawans the consequences of our actions. I have no objections to allowing any padawan to sit in on these proceedings.”  I can sense the tension in the room dissipate as my fellow council members nod in agreement.

Yes, we need to remember that war always has a price. Civilians are hurt by its presence and it is our responsibility to ensure they are not forgotten.  We are already guilty of forgetting Rodia. I corrected that by personally escorting supplies to the capital with Leh and delivering them to several major cities across the planet. We are servants to all who will let us serve. I will not allow us to forget anyone again.

We agree that a blockade runner would provide ample room for the supplies and will get the supplies there in record time while also providing some temporary medical facilities. The supplies are being gathered at a docking compound nearby thanks to Senator Organa getting the word to the Senate.

We agree that I should inform the High Council of our decision since it is meeting right after this one and we adjourn. Leh Noss cannot accompany me into the High Council chambers so I send her to check on our starfighters and R3-D0.  The High Council begins by discussing the latest reports from the various campaigns.

Last we heard, Skywalker was working on another one of his insane plans to break the blockade, and Kenobi had eyes on the gun emplacements and the civilian Twi’lek hostages on the ground.  He said to prepare the supplies and to wait in nearby space for the all-clear. I tell the council what the CRC decided and how the supplies are being loaded onto the ship as we speak.

The only thing we had not formally decided on was who would take the supplies to Ryloth.  Uh oh. Master Yoda is giving Master Windu that look again. I wish he’d stop doing that. No one else seems to notice it! It’s that little side eye and smirk that he only does to Master Windu.

It’s like they always have a secret they’re not sharing, and he’s looking to Windu to see if he wants to share it yet or just keep us in the dark forever.  I narrow my eyes at him, my only way of silently telling him that I’m not blind or stupid. I swear his smirk just got bigger. He knows that I see him doing this, and he knows that I want him to stop, which I think just makes him want to do it more.

“There your new clone troopers you will meet.” Wait...what? I open my mouth to speak, but Master Yoda interrupts me. “Your supplies they will have.” I’d say I’m surprised that he interrupted me, but I’m not. He does it a lot more than one might think.  It takes me a moment to gather my thoughts into a coherent, cohesive question. “ **My** clone troopers? I was not aware I would be getting any.”

Master Windu is the one to answer my question.  **Big** surprise there. It’s always him. Yoda drops the verbal bomb, Windu cleans up the mess it makes.  “We need more Jedi out on the front lines to deal with the growing threat. You’ll be getting a company, the 2532nd, and a clone officer that speaks Shyriiwook. They’ll be meeting you on Ryloth with the majority of the supplies.”

You would think being one of the few members of the High Council that’s been at the temple almost exclusively since the war began would mean I would have known about this ahead of time.  When did they discuss this? More importantly, when did they  **decide** this and why wasn’t I there? Not important. It has been decided and the council does not make decisions lightly.

I will trust in their decision to deploy me.  I adjust in my seat and nod. “Very well. I will collect Leh Noss and meet with the supplies at the compound.” They nod in acknowledgement. “I will see you on the ground.” Master Windu says just before signing off.  I stand, bow to the present members, and leave to prepare.

I call Leh Noss and tell her to pack her things “We are being deployed. We’ll meet our troops on Ryloth.” I can sense something rise in her...anticipation.  The flight to the Ryloth system is fast and uneventful. I spend that time studying Clone Hand Talk. Since it does not specify if any of the other 150 troops understand Shyriiwook aside from the commanding officer, I should be prepared to communicate non-verbally.

When we arrive, we find the wreckage of what I can only assume was once the Separatist blockade. We call Kenobi’s cruiser and the admiral in command assures us that he’ll meet us on the ground. He sounds a little tired.  I can feel the Twi’leks from my position in the bridge. I sense their anxiety and tension. Such a shame. Ships carrying medicine should not bring such fear.

We should have taken an unmarked ship. That would at least have no association with this war.  The ship is too large to land in the city, so we’re landing on the outskirts. We will carry the supplies to the city center. Once we’re on the ground, I head down to the cargo bay and step out with a crate of food under one arm, and a crate of bacta injectors under the other.

Every person on the ship grabs a crate and we begin the trek through the city. This place looks somewhat familiar, but that’s not surprising, I’ve been to many cities here on Ryloth in my day, so I think nothing of it.  We round a corner and ahead I see a spot where the canyon walls come close together, creating a skinny ‘v’ out of the sheer cliffs.

I can see the brightly colored skins of the native Twi’leks from here through the gap.  Then it hits me. I  **know** this place. I hurry through the gap and into the too familiar town square. No! Why here? Why did it have to be Nabat? I put the crates down and look at the damaged statues, destroyed houses, and haggard faces of the inhabitants.

This is the  **same** village I was in when the Battle of Geonosis occurred. They were still recovering from the damage the rockslide did. I can see where they hadn’t repaired that hole in the roof of one building. These poor Twi’leks.  I roar up to the sky. “Dooku, when I find you, I will rip you down from that cloud you’ve lost your head in, and remind you of the people you are hurting!”

I force myself to take a deep breath. No. Patience. I must focus on the task at hand. There will be time to teach Dooku to care for his fellow beings later.  I pick up the crates again and bring them into the crowd, placing them down and opening them to reveal the contents. “Please, help yourselves. More supplies are on the way.” I tell them as my padawan and crew join us.

Redo rolls up, translating for me.  We take some time to check the inhabitants for serious injuries and take a small group back to the ship to be treated by the medical droid. We also spend some time moving debris and rubble out of the way so the inhabitants can get in their houses.  “Master Drayhu, it has been far too long.” I know that voice.

I turn, and smile as I spot Obi-Wan approaching with a few clones trailing behind him. “Obi-Wan!” He turns to the clones when he reaches me. Redo plays out the translation a second later.  “Master Drayhu is one of the oldest members of the Order. She’s a member of the High Council and the Civilian Relief Council. She’ll be providing supplies to civilian populations post-battles.”

I grin. “Not anymore, Kenobi.” His head whips around to face me. “What?”  I shake my head “Did no one tell you? The rest of the supplies are coming with my troop assignment.” His eyes widen. “No. I was not aware you’d be joining in the battles at all truth be told.” I chuckle “Neither was I, though I welcome the chance to help civilians directly.”

He nods. “Indeed, though you will find that there are many battles in which you don’t see them at all.” I suppose that would happen from time to time. “Back to the subject of your assignment for a moment, have you met your troops yet?” Leave it to Kenobi to seamlessly switch topics.

“No. I am to meet them here, then follow the liberation path Master Windu creates, providing aid to the cities and inhabitants he frees on his way to Lessu, as well as protection from any counterattacks.”  He nods. “That sounds about right. It’s a good way to get to know your troops individually before heading into battle.”

I nod. “Speaking of troops, aren’t you going to introduce me?” He smiles, motioning to each clone in turn. “This is Cody, Waxer, Boil, Gearshift, Longshot, and Wooley.”  I give them a bow. “Good to meet you. Thank you for helping Nabat. They’ve been through a lot these past few months.” The one called Cody nods. “We’re just doing our jobs, sir.” Oh that felt  **weird** ! I don’t like that at all.

“Were you with Obi-Wan on Christophsis?” Again, the one named Cody nods “Yes, sir.” Note to self, my troops are not allowed to call me ‘sir’. Just...no. Obi-Wan looks intrigued. “Christophsis?”

I nod “It was the first location the Civilian Relief Council sent aid to. I was the first one to go and assess the situation there. However, since no one there spoke Shyriiwook, we decided it was best that someone else lead the efforts there.  He chuckles. “That sounds about right. How is Christophsis by the way?” “Recovering nicely, though that does remind me of a question I had for you.”

He nods. “By all means, ask away.” I nod, taking a moment to center myself before speaking.  “How did you manage to leave only  **one** building untouched?” He blinks a few times “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” I sigh. “In the capital city, you and Skywalker damaged every building except for one. It is the only building with no damage. I want  **you** to tell me how you managed that.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but I am not done. “I expect such chaos from Skywalker, but you are supposed to be the responsible one, Kenobi. So tell me, was that building an accident, or simply the only building you were able to save.”  I can sense mirth coming off the clones but I don’t address it as I stare down the Jedi Guardian.

His mouth opens and closes a few times as he struggles to answer me. Finally, he sighs. “I honestly could not tell you, Master. Perhaps it was the will of the Force that building still stands.”  A rather lame excuse but an acceptable one. I expected as much. Oh well. I nod to show I’ve accepted his answer. I sense someone approaching...ah.

I smile. “Oh a lighter note, this is my padawan, Leh Noss.” She bows and Kenobi’s face lights up.  “Good to meet you, though if I remember correctly, you’ve been a padawan for some time. I’m surprised you didn’t go to the trials.” I am very adept at picking up on the emotions of others, but I didn’t even have to  **try** to feel the melancholy blossoming inside my padawan.

Still, she maintains a composed, poised demeanor, a skill she likely picked up from Master Trebor. “Yes, I have been a padawan for over 5 years, but the Council and myself felt that my training was not yet complete.”

I quickly direct the conversation to the battle that led to the liberation of Nabat, distracting all of the clones and Master Kenobi while Leh Noss excuses herself to help the Twi’leks some more. While Kenobi speaks, I try to extend a calming presence to Leh, filled with lighter, more pleasant memories of Master Trebor.


	8. Meeting the Troops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to finally meet the troops!  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
P.S. This is where our three stories REALLY converge.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About an hour later, I hear a set of ships coming in. A few minutes later, I see a few dropships land over by the blockade runner I came here on. That must be the rest of the supplies and the troops I’ve been assigned. That still sounds weird even in my head.  It’s another 10 minutes or so before I hear a rhythmic clashing of durasteel on rock. I’m not overly familiar with the sound myself, but I can guess what it means. A few minutes later and I can  **feel** the footfalls through the ground.

Not a minute later, and I can see the first AT-TE through the gap in the cliffs coming around the bend. Those aren’t gonna fit through the gap. The convoy of tanks stops several meters from the gap, and the troopers hanging off the sides hop off and make their way over to the clearing.  Their armor is painted in dark green, and one trooper’s armor is a different style from the others. I haven’t seen that before. They approach our area and the trooper in the unique armor comes right up to me.

He salutes me “RC-5448, Captain Victor, I assume you are General Drayhu?” He asks. I can sense...it’s not fear, nor is it nervousness in the proper sense. He is being...cautious. I suppose anyone would when meeting a Wookiee. I am used to people being intimidated by my presence.  I give him a small bow, not even bending 45 degrees, just as I had for Kenobi’s troops. “I am Master Drayhu. I take it you are the officer in command of the 2532nd?” Redo beeps, as he always does just before translating.

“Master Drayhu wishes to know if you are in charge of the 2532nd.” Oh shoot. I forgot to turn him off. Master Windu mentioned the officer could speak Shyriiwook, but this also might not be him.  I can sense some dislike towards Redo from him, but he doesn’t express it. “I am, my boys are here with much of the supplies we were asked to bring, though more yet remains on our assault craft.”

Again, that dislike for my astromech flows from him “I can understand Shyriiwook, though so the droid isn’t necessary with me. The same cannot be said for my men.” Oh good. At the very least, I can speak to him.  I look to Redo “Deactivate translation module.” He chirps in the affirmative. I reach out for my padawan through the Force, finding her ocean-smelling aura not far away. A whisper of my presence and of calling serve to summon her to me.

I return my attention to the captain. “It is good to meet you Victor. We move out tomorrow to the next site. I will show you a path around Nabat for the AT-TE to use that will cause minimal disturbance. We are leaving supplies for the next few days here, but the rest will come with us.”  He turns to face the AT-TE and, judging by the fact that he doesn’t yell, activates his comms. “Jiffy, Judge, keep your cargo, for now we’re only offloading Jericho’s supplies.” Once his orders are given, he turns back to face me.

I am not a general. I am not a commander. My years as a padawan were spent in the Galactic criminal underworld with Master Sinube chasing down outlaws of all shapes, sizes, and rap sheets.  I did not fight in the Mandalorian civil war. I saw it as something for them to decide amongst themselves. I prefer to heal than to harm, to create than to destroy, and to end than to begin. This is new territory for me and I am not sure what to do.

However, if Master Sinube taught me anything, it’s that anything can be learned, so long as there is the will to learn. So I will learn to lead, if only to ensure that I do not lose these men who have placed their lives in my hands.  Ah, Leh Noss has arrived. She joins us and I introduce her. “Leh, this is Captain Victor, he’s the commanding officer of the 2532nd. Victor, this is Leh Noss, my padawan learner.” Leh Noss gives the captain a nod. “It is good to meet you, Captain.”

The captain salutes her. “I guess that makes you Commander Noss then. I apologize, I did not notice your name on the briefing.” Oh he got a briefing on us, that’s good, though a tad confusing that she wasn’t included.  I have not had her as a padawan for very long, a few months at most, but that should be long enough for her to be included in whatever file he got. It doesn’t matter. We are here now and we shall work with what we have.

“Confusing, but ultimately unimportant. We should unload the supplies, meet everyone else, and prepare for our departure in the morning. It is a long trek to the next site.” Victor is quick to comment.  “It is not necessarily that they didn’t include Commander Noss in the briefing, but I had many documents to read, so I skimmed them all. I probably overlooked her, and I will do better in the future.” Also a possibility and an action that many are guilty of.

I nod and look towards the gap in the cliffs where troops are carrying supplies in. I should check to ensure that we are leaving the proper amounts. “Let us meet the rest of the unit.” I say as I begin walking towards them, my lightsaber thumping on the ground in time with my footsteps.  Leh Noss and Victor follow after, taking multiple steps to keep up with each of my own.

As we walk, Victor tells me about the unit. “Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait to meet the pilots as they are all with the assault craft, but for now you have command of three AT-TE, piloted by Jiffy, Jericho, and Judge. Jiffy is the highest ranking of them at lieutenant.”  Right. I nearly forgot about the ships. Perhaps I’ll have the gunships go ahead of the group to scope out the area of our next stop. I’ll have to figure out what to do about that assault craft though.

If I remember correctly, that will be large and will stick out if we’re not careful.  “Aside from them, you’ll have command of a platoon of jet troopers under the immediate command of Lieutenant Dodger. Additionally, you have a platoon comprised of a mixed group of ARF, Heavy, and standard infantry. They’re immediately commanded by Lieutenant Hammer.”  Let’s see. Jet troopers will function similarly to Mandalorian warriors since they both use jetpacks.

ARF troopers are specialists and I think function as scouts mostly. I will have to double check that though. The function of heavy and infantry troops are thankfully self-explanatory.  “Other officers include Second Lieutenant Flip and Major Sergeant Halo who are also jet troopers immediately under Dodger. You also have Second Lieutenant Fuse, and  Major Sergeant Duct who immediately answer to Lieutenant Hammer. Finally, we have Sergeants Hardball, Flurry, and Dice who act as further squad leads.”

So there are 3 Lieutenants. Jiffy, Dodger, and Hammer. Jiffy commands the AT-TE troops, Dodger commands the jet troops, and Hammer commands the rest, hence all of the officers under him.  “These last ones are immediately under Hammer’s Command. Finally, I command all of them and answer directly to you and Commander Noss. If you have any desire to redistribute command structures we can work on it as we walk, or if you have any questions I will answer them to the best of my ability.”

Change the command structure? I suppose someone with more combat experience might have the desire to do so, but I have no such compulsion. The truth of the matter is, Kenobi was right. This is not my area of expertise.  However, it would seem that it is fairly intuitive and I will come to memorize the structure given time. “The squads can stay as they are. For the time being, I would like to meet with the lieutenants and figure out how best to handle communication.”  Something I said made him anxious.  


“For the immediate future, you will likely have to relay orders through Commander Noss or me, but I am hoping that some of the boys will be able to pick up at least key commands easily enough that it should only be a transitional period.”  Good, his plan is similar to my own. Ideally, the officers learn to understand orders and their names in Shyriiwook in case Victor or Leh Noss are unavailable to translate. Redo is slow but will do when we are not in combat.

I nod. “We will start with their names. I will start every sentence with the name of the one I’m talking to. That should help them recognize the sound. I suppose I should also start with teaching them basic orders during our trip. I will try to use gestures when possible."  I turn to Leh Noss. “You should strive to repeat the orders whenever possible. Repetition is key.” She nods. “Of course.” It is a shame they cannot speak Shyriiwook. Repetition of the words themselves would be better than translation but we will work with what we have.

I have learned many hand gestures in my day since my second padawan, Zerusu, had been partially deaf his whole life. The gestures we used likely do not match military gestures perfectly, but they should not be difficult to learn.  We finally reach the area just past the gap between the AT-TEs and the cliff. The troops are unloading one of the AT-TEs and placing the crates in a pile. I will need to check them before we move them into the city center. It would not be good to bring all of them only to have to remove some of them.

When we stop walking, Victor calls out to the group “Hold off on unloading for a second; I want you all to meet General Drayhu and Commander Noss. They’re our new commanding officers. Hammer, Jiffy, Dodger, a moment.” He waves over the Lieutenants and dismisses the rest to continue working.  The three men approach. I try to take note of differences in their paint for later reference. One downside of using clones is that they all are the same height and sound exactly alike.

It will be difficult learning names. But, I learned to tell Tiplar and Tiplee apart, and I will learn to distinguish these men as well.  I look between them for a moment. I need to learn the names of these men first. One of them has a jetpack. That’s probably…Dodger, head of the jet troopers. Another is carrying a  **big** gun. That one is  **probably ** Hammer, making the last one  **probably ** Jiffy.

“As you all heard, this is General Drayhu and Commander Noss, our new Jedi commanding officers. General, Commander, the one with the flight pack is Dodger.” He points at the clone wearing the jetpack, his finger moving to the one carrying the big gun.  “The one with the Z-6 is Hammer. You won’t find a tougher nut to crack this side of delta squad.” Lastly, he points at the final trooper. “Finally, we’ve got Jiffy. If you need overwhelming fire support, Jiffy is your man.”

Good. Now that I have confirmed their names, we can begin teaching them what it sounds like when I say them. I make it clear to them that this is their top priority over the next few days and Victor translates for me.


	9. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Drayhu goes over morning training, their march to Lessu, and the feelings that come with it all.

When dawn arrives, Leh Noss and I are awake and sitting for our morning Empty Meditation session. It’s a great way to start the day, emptying the mind of thoughts that may have plagued our sleep.  Once we finish our meditation session, it’s time for my favorite training drill: ‘Don’t Hit the Wookiee’.

I used to have a more professional name, but Jychi Crurre, my fourth padawan, coined this name and it stuck. It’s the sparring I did with Ima before he left for Ryloth.  I have done this drill with all of my padawans since I invented it after Zerusu failed his control test at the trials. It teaches ultimate control over one’s body and lightsaber.

During my padawan days, I learned that this allowed me to threaten criminals without actually harming them, though many of weaker constitutions were prone to fainting.  Even was quite the fan of the technique when he realized most will surrender when there’s a lightsaber poised right above your head (he would stand on their shoulders).

I quickly realize a problem though.  Leh Noss is still learning and we don’t have flash sabers here. I look around. There has to be a suitable alternative  **somewhere** around here. Ah! I walk over to the stick lying on the ground. It’s a little long.  Leh’s lightsaber is about a meter long. This stick is about two meters long. I grab the stick around the middle with both paws and break it in two.

I bring the two halves to my padawan and hold them out to her.  Leh looks at the sticks, the tops of her lekku waving almost lazily, a motion I have come to associate with slight apprehension. She glances at me, selects the stick in my left hand, then looks at me.  “Are you gonna tell me what I’m doing with this or do I have to guess?” I expect better Leh. This is a part of your routine now.

I grip the stick in my right hand and quickly bring it down right next to her head to hover over her shoulder.  There’s a pause before her lekku contract and relax, her mouth going wide as the pieces click into place. “Oh!” I nod, tossing the stick aside and stepping back into a defensive stance, my lightsaber on my back.

I give her a chance to get a feel for the balance of the stick before we begin. Once she’s ready, she takes up her usual stance and we begin. It’s taking her some time to get used to the weight imbalance of the stick so she’s making a lot of mistakes.

This means, while the 2532nd and the 212th run laps around the city (Hardball yelling at them loud enough to wake the nearby mountains), Leh Noss is just repeatedly hitting me with the stick while I ‘try’ to dodge the attacks in the circle of Twi’lek statues in the city center.  I can  **feel** Kenobi watching us as we continue, but he says nothing. At least, not at first.

The clones return to the city center and just  **stare** at us. I can almost  **taste** their curiosity. Still, no one says anything.  We continue for a few more minutes before Master Kenobi approaches. “If I may be allowed to interrupt for a moment?” I turn to look at him, only to feel the stick smack against my ribs. I slowly turn my head to look at my padawan with disapproval.

She doesn’t apologize. I made sure to drill that out of her long ago for this exercise. She at least looks guilty and lowers her stick and her eyes towards the ground. Master Kenobi chuckles lightly before speaking again.  “I’m afraid I’m not familiar with this training exercise. What is it?” I glance at Leh and I can see the hope in her eyes.

I give her a nod and she smiles at Master Kenobi. “Master Kenobi, the name and objective of this exercise are one and the same. ‘Don’t Hit the Wookiee’.”  She declares proudly. I’m glad she enjoyed that. Master Kenobi seems intrigued. “Interesting. Would you mind if I tried?” She shakes her head, handing Master Kenobi her stick.

He swings it a few times to get a feel for the weight and balance.  “Seems fairly straight-forward.” That’s what they all say. When he’s ready, he swings the stick at me. It slows down quite a bit, but the piece of wood still collides with my arm. It would seem Kenobi has realized the difficulty of this exercise. “Oh.”  I can’t help but laugh at Kenobi’s expense. That was  **too** funny!

In all my years of using this exercise I have  **never** gotten that reaction from a participant! That was  **great** ! He hands Leh Noss the stick. “I see I was mistaken. Excuse me.”  We move out not an hour later, the AT-TE marching along a nearby canyon where the only rocks to disturb will fall into the empty ravine below.

The march is uneventful and we make camp in a ruined rebellion outpost for the night.

In the morning, we begin our trek again. I take every opportunity to talk to them, calling out names before speaking. I mostly just ask for updates, if anyone has spotted anything, or sometimes just switching which AT-TE is in the lead.  None of the 2532nd is walking. Those who do not fit in the AT-TE, are holding onto the sides or sitting on top.  I can appreciate the conservation of energy.

I also take the time to practice Clone Hand Speak with Victor, just so I get used to using them.  We come across a vulture droid patrol on day 2, and I order Judge to shoot them down with his AT-TE, saying the order “Judge, open fire” while I hand sign it. Thankfully, they only need the translation to clarify who it is I am speaking to.  Thankfully, it gets to them in time to destroy the vulture droids.

We camp out in a forest that night. On day 3 of our trek to the capital, we run into a large squad of B-2 battle droids patrolling for rebellion members.  I take down 3 with my lightsaber without even needing to ignite it.  A perk of being a Wookiee is that I have the strength to drive a (mostly) wooden staff through droid armor with relative ease.

Leh Noss cuts down 3 more with her lightsaber, and the rest are shot by various troopers.  The closer we get to Lessu, the more patrols we run into, and the more Twi’lek cities and towns we find needing supplies. We drop off what is not reserved for Lessu, promising that more will arrive once Lessu has been liberated.

When we eventually arrive in the capital city of Lessu, Master Windu has already won the fight, the Separatist leader captured. We unload the remaining supplies we brought and distribute them while the medics treat the Twi’leks that accept their help.  It would seem that Senator Orn Free Taa promised that the army will not stay on Ryloth. So, we will be returning to Coruscant tonight.

However, before we leave, a familiar face approaches me.  Cham Syndulla. I remember him from one of my visits. He’s been so strong for his people in this crisis. He appears saddened by something. What is it? A few other members of the rebellion stand around him as he produces an item from the gathered Twi’leks.  Oh. My heart falls as he holds out the item to me.

“We already buried Master Di and his troops, but we heard you were the one who trained him, and felt that you should be the one to take this.” I take the familiar lightsaber, knowing that it is indeed Ima’s.  These Twi’leks, who were being invaded, had risked their lives to bury Ima and his troops, as well as collect his lightsaber.

Ima would not have wanted the Separatists to touch his lightsaber.  I do hope the rebellion used it in their battles. He would have liked that.  I give them a deep bow. They have no idea what they have done for myself and Ima. There is no standard procedure for a Jedi’s lightsaber when they pass. Some are buried with it, while some leave it to a padawan. I know just what to do with Ima’s.

This will be a sad trip to Kintan, but I know the Di’s will appreciate knowing that their son died with honor and dignity, that he is buried on Ryloth, and that he was proud to be their son. I’m sorry I can’t take your body to them, Ima, but you know that this will mean just as much to them.


	10. A Lesson in Humility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the heartbreaking news on Ryloth, Drayhu is given time to come to terms with it. After which, she learns that Dice is not the only clone trooper that likes to gamble...he's just the best at it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is also found in:  
In the Path of a Hurricane Chapter 11: Assumptions  
The Tales of Clan Danakar Chapter 15: Ner (Gai) Cuyir Jate’shya Shya Be’Gar  
To the Victor Goes the Spoils Chapter 8: Downtime on Coruscant: Part 2

We are on Coruscant, regrouping in the aftermath of the Ryloth campaign while the Senate and Jedi High Council decide where we are to be deployed next. I was granted permission to deliver Ima-Gun Di’s lightsaber to its final resting place by the council. I left Leh Noss at the temple. While this would be a good learning moment for her, I won’t get many opportunities to do this. So, before I left, I took her down to the library, greeting Master Jocasta as we passed her. When I saw the being we came to meet, I called out to him. “Master Sinube!”

He turns and smiles at us. “Drayhu! Good to see you! How are you?”

“I am well, Master. This is my new padawan learner, Leh Noss.”

I turn to Leh Noss “Leh, this is Tera Sinube, many years ago, I was his padawan. You will be spending the weekend with him.”

Leh bows “I am honored to meet you, Master Sinube.”

I couldn’t bring her with me on this trip. I had plenty of reasons to bring her, but the reasons not to outweigh them. She hasn’t been my padawan for very long, she didn’t know Ima, and she hasn’t gotten over losing Master Trebor yet. Thus, I have left her in Master Sinube’s care - as I do with all of my padawans at some point while they’re under my care - while I bring Ima’s lightsaber to its final place in the galaxy. I come out of hyperspace to the familiar sight of Kintan.

I’ve only been to this village once before, but I remember the way perfectly. I detach from my hyperspace ring and fly down between the canyons and over the plateaus until I find the village built into the side of the canyon walls. Children play in the river, while the adults watch from the banks or play with them. They watch me with quiet interest as I come in to land, so different from the excitement I felt the last time I came here.

I hop out of my ship, leaving Redo to watch it as I make my way to the children playing with an older man and woman.

It is the woman who spots me first. “Welcome, Master Jedi! It is good to see you!”

I smile and bow. “Thank you, Mrs. Di.”

“What brings you all the way back here?”

I keep my face calm as I let my smile drop.

“If I may, Mr. and Mrs. Di, I have something sensitive to discuss with you.”

They share a look before nodding, leaving the young children with another Nikto. We enter their house and I take a deep, calming breath. “I am sorry that I could not come on happier terms, Mr. and Mrs. Di, but I am afraid your son is dead.” I let this news sink in and wait for them to ask whatever questions they have.

“How?” Mr. Di asks.

Oh. Ima looked just like his father. “He was defending the Twi’leks on Ryloth when it was invaded. Now that they are liberated, we got the confirmation that he was overrun and buried on Ryloth.” I look at this poor couple and lower my head. “I am sorry that I could not bring him home to you, however, I do have something for you.” I say, pulling out his lightsaber. “This was his lightsaber. I am sure he would want you to have it.” I hold it out to them.

His mother takes it and holds it close. They have me stay the night as they build a giant bonfire by the river as a send-off for their lost son. Turns out, the children I’d seen earlier were his cousin’s children. His sister is pregnant with her second child. When I am preparing to leave the next morning, Ima’s father comes to me.

“Should you **ever** need **anything**, Master Drayhu, do not hesitate to ask. It is the least we can do.”

I shake my head. “No. There is nothing to repay.”

“But there is. We thought we would never see our son again after they came to take him to your temple. We started to believe those who call you kidnappers. But you brought our son back to us. He visited us several times. You made our family whole, Master Drayhu. Let us repay you.”

I smile. “If you insist."

He smiles.

“Thank you. I will be sure to call upon you for an appropriate favor.” I say, giving him one last bow before climbing into my ship and returning to my hyperspace ring. So he **did** go back and visit them. Good for him.

The moment I reach my bed, I am called down to the infirmary of the compound where the clones are staying. My only hint as to why? Victor is in the infirmary. Victor, I was gone for **3 days** ! What could you have **possibly** gotten into that merits a visit to the **infirmary**?!

When I arrive, Victor is out of his armor and strapped to a bed. Judging by the armor scattered about the room, I can guess that each clone is from a different unit. I recognize the yellow from the 212th. Actually…that might be Commander Cody in bed there, which means these clones are likely the officers of each unit. Masters Mundi, Plo Koon, Secura, Skywalker, and Kenobi are here as well.

“Rex, what happened to you?” Skywalker asks the clone with the blue painted armor lying at the foot of his bed.

“We uh,” He looks to his brothers around the room, a few shrugging before he continues “we were settling a bet sir.”

“A bet?” Master Kenobi sounds both intrigued and disappointed.

A clone in brown armor nearby chimes in. “A few of the boys were arguing over which unit is the best, sir. They decided one way to decide was to see which CO would win in a fight.”

Master Mundi gives a slow nod. “I see. Who won?” His question is so genuinely curious that he could have just as easily been asking how the clone was feeling today.

The man chuckles. “We heh, we had two rounds, actually.”

Secura puts a hand on her hip, shifting her weight to that hip. “Oh?”

The clone nods. “Yes General. First round was Victor, Wolffe, and Bacara. Second round was a full roster battle royale.”

A clone in blue armor chuckles “Bacara won round one, and Cody won round two.”

Skywalker looks at Rex with the kind of disappointment that is only directed at someone who has crushed your dreams.

Rex sighs. “Victor got the drop on me.” He says, nodding towards Victor.

Kenobi is smiling “Well done Cody, though I’m a little surprised you bothered to participate at all.”

Cody gives a small shrug. “Rex wouldn’t leave me alone.”

Master Secura speaks up “So, why were we called down here? These wounds are superficial and will be healed within the hour.”

They look between each other. I sense a lot of anxiety, some guilt (especially from Cody), and a little excitement from Rex.

Ultimately, it is Rex who answers the question, turning to look at Skywalker. “We can’t agree on which of you Generals would win in a fight against each other.”

I sense…amusement. Most of my fellow Jedi find this funny.

Master Mundi is smiling “I believe Master Drayhu takes this one.”

Master Plo, Master Secura, and Master Kenobi all nod.

Skywalker doesn’t. “Really Obi-Wan?”

Master Kenobi looks at Skywalker with concern. “Anakin, you don’t seriously think you can beat Master Drayhu in a lightsaber duel, do you?”

He nods “Yeah, I do.”

Master Kenobi looks at me apologetically. “I’m sorry Master Drayhu, I did **try **to teach him respect-”

I hold up my paw and interrupt him “It is alright, Master Kenobi. If Skywalker wants to fight, then a fight he will get.”

“It’s alright Master Kenobi. If Skywalker wants a fight, then it’s a fight he’ll get.” All heads turn to face Victor. He shrugs. “My boys don’t speak Shyriiwook. Translating what she says is just a habit now.”

I watch as the medics finish treating the officers, release Victor from his bed, and they all put on their armor.

We then head down to the hangar where we’ll have the space we need to fight.

As the clones create a ring of boxes, Master Kenobi turns to me. “Master Drayhu, are you sure? You know Anakin would be terrible at ‘Don’t Hit the Wookiee’.”

I grin. “Yes, I do. However, that does not matter if I don’t let him hit me.” I can hear Victor translate what I said to the other clones as they finish up with the circle.

Master Kenobi just sighs “If you insist, Master Drayhu, then I will not push the subject.”

Once a ring has been made in the area furthest from any ships, Skywalker and I enter the circle. I stand across from Skywalker, my lightsaber in my hand. With the top part, it is taller than Skywalker. I wait as Skywalker stretches a bit, confidence flowing out of him in waves.

There will be no moment where I will let him even **think** he’s winning this fight. I saw him at his trials and I had argued with the council to reconsider its decision to knight him. He wasn’t ready. Skywalker has yet to be reminded that while the High Council made many exceptions for him so he could join the Order, that does not mean he is fine how he is. He questions what he should preach, and bends our rules where he should avoid the line entirely. If no one else is going to act, then I will. If nothing else, Skywalker needs to know that he is not invincible. He is not infallible. He is not unstoppable. He is not at the top of this tower. He never was, and he never will be unless he changes.

Even **I** bend the rules of our code from time to time, but I have done so knowing that Master Yoda would approve of my decision. Skywalker has deliberately gone against the Council and I, for one, refuse to be ignored any longer. We give him a task and he just ignores it! He cannot be allowed to do this, especially when he has a Padawan learner.

“Commander Noss, you better get down to Yaim’s hangar. The other commanders should come too.”

I smile inwardly. Leave it to Victor to call the padawan learners down here to watch this.

“Master Drayhu! You ready yet?”

This is gonna hurt Skywalker. I drift out of my mindspace to see Skywalker looking impatiently at me. “Of course.” I say, turning my staff sideways (across my torso), and grabbing a spot about two feet from the top. I twist my paw and the top part comes off. I can feel the curiosity and awe flowing off the troopers. I can also feel a nervous energy from the padawans as they get closer. I turn to the group gathered to watch. “Could one of you hold this for me?” I ask, showing them the baton in my hand. Dodger’s hand is up first so I toss it to him. He catches it easily and turn to face Skywalker once again.

“Wait…is that whole thing her lightsaber?”

There’s mirth in Plo Koon’s voice when he answers. “Yes. Master Drayhu is as an Exotic Weapons Specialist for her skills with the lightsaber pike.”

Skywalker looks at Plo Koon. “Lightsaber pike?”

In response, I activate my lightsaber. “Obi-Wan, start us.” I call out. I spread my legs to shoulder-width, my left foot slightly in front of my right. I hold my lightsaber so the blade is over my shoulder, and the staff stretches along my body diagonally downwards towards Skywalker. My left hand towards the middle, and my right towards the blade.

Skywalker also takes up his stance. It resembles a basic Form V beginning stance. Strong base, lightsaber aimed at your target. However, the way he’s positioning his feet suggests that his movements are based in Form IV.

Oh that’s right. He likes to attack from above, bringing his saber down onto his opponents. Ataru (Form IV) is often used to help overcome physical deficits. However, Form V is all about taking advantage of being larger and stronger than your opponent.

This will be even easier than I thought. I widen my stance a little, bending my knees more so as to get lower to the ground. I want him to attack me, and for that to happen, I need him to forget, for just a moment, that I am a Wookiee.

Master Kenobi calls out in a clear voice, breaking the silence of the room. “Begin.”

Immediately, Skywalker charges at me. He seems to be aiming to attack my left side. Not a bad choice since my lightsaber is on the right side of my body. As expected of Ataru (and Djem so if I’m being honest), he jumps, raising his lightsaber over his head with the intention to use his body weight to intensify the attack. Unfortunately for him, I know how to counter this, and I don’t even need my lightsaber to do it.

Before his lightsaber can come even close to hitting me, I raise my left hand and catch Skywalker’s hand, stopping his movement entirely. For about half a second, Skywalker is just suspended in mid-air. Then, by the time the second ends, Skywalker’s feet have hit the ground, his hand still where I had caught it. I deactivate my lightsaber and flick my wrist, swinging the bottom of my staff between our legs and around towards his legs, the emitter swinging across my chest. The moment my staff makes contact with his left shin, I release his hand, maintaining a hold on his lightsaber just below the emitter with my thumb and first finger.

Skywalker collapses under the pain in his leg, falling onto his back on the ground.

I let my staff continue its path, deactivating Skywalker’s lightsaber and dropping my left arm so I can rotate my right hand again so my knuckles are pointed towards the ground. As I rotate my paw I loosen my grip on my staff, letting it glide along my palm until my paw is about ⅔ of the way down the staff, igniting it as the button passes through my palm. I step into Skywalker’s space, my blade aimed right at his face. To prevent him from trying to get up, I ignite his lightsaber beneath mine so the blade stretched perpendicular to his legs. I stop my blade just before making contact with Skywalker, forcing him to stay where he is.

The room is silent as I stand there, motionless, staring down the man who is supposed to one day bring balance to the Force. How is he supposed to save any of us if he cannot even save himself?

“Well,” I hear Master Kenobi’s voice break the silence “that answers that question.”

With that, I deactivate the lightsabers spinning my lightsaber behind my back and into its slot there, freeing my hand to help Skywalker up. I can feel a few emotions flick around him, but he accepts my hand and I pull him to his feet. I hold out his lightsaber and he takes it. The members of his unit (the ones in blue) look **very** disappointed. Though who in is unclear. Their General, or themselves.

The Togruta looks downright shocked.

Oh wait. That’s Ahsoka! I taught her Shyriiwook when she was a youngling! She looks well. Although, she does look concerned for her master. She really shouldn’t though. He’ll be fine.

“What the **kriff** just happened?” She demands, trying not to yell.

I catch sight of a small set of flicks in my padawan’s lekku, a sign of something along the lines of malicious glee. “What did you expect would happen? My master is **easily** eight times your master’s age.”

Hold on. That was pretty close.

Victor pipes up from the crowd. “I mean, she has been kicking butt for the last **thousand** years. She better know what she’s doing.”

I’m sorry...**what**? I glance back at my padawan, sensing her train of thought and waiting to see if she hops on it.

“No, Captain, she had a birthday recently. She’s four hundred sixty-three.”

“No no, there’s a **reason** she was assigned to the 2532nd.” Victor counters.

I was not aware that Victor knew this game existed. ...Actually, he might just be doing this on his own.

“Yes,” Leh agrees, not even trying to hide her grin. “She’s two hundred fifty-three.”

“No, she’s five hundred thirty-two.”

Plo Koon jumps in. “Ah, but Master Yoda just wished her a happy forty-second birthday.”

He’s not wrong. That was the number he said this year.

Mundi is next to join the fun. “But you see, the year before that, he said she was seven hundred eight.”

Also true. The confusion in the room reaches its peak now as those not participating try to keep up with a joke that’s over 100 years old.

Skywalker’s reaction to this is by far the best though. He looks at Kenobi, worry coloring his face. “How hard did I hit the ground? Because I keep hearing different numbers.”

Kenobi is trying not to smile, though I don’t know why he bothers. “Not too hard. It appears Master Drayhu’s age is a matter of some conjecture.”

This is true. It has been a running joke since Opar Tas, my first Padawan, simply assumed my age to be excessive and wished me a 339nth birthday. I was close to 40 at the time. I made the mistake of telling Master Yoda about it when I became a member of the High Council and he decided to wish me a happy birthday every year, but to always use the wrong number. The Chief Librarian keeps a list of the numbers he’s used already somewhere in the Archives. He also coordinates this with the standing Kashyyyk senator. He tells them the number he used, and they say a number one off from that number when I see them. It has proven to be quite the amusing game for everyone involved.

Aside from myself, only Master Sinube and Master Yoda know my true age since they are the only ones I felt needed to know. Knighthood is not granted at an exact age but that date is the only available one to go by to estimate my age.

In truth, I myself did not know my own age until Master Tyvokka took me to Kashyyyk for my first Life Day celebration. We went early and he took me to the Wartaki Islands, introducing me to a pair of Wookiees, telling me they were my parents. All my life as an Initiate, I was told we didn’t know who my family was or how old I was, exactly. Master Tyvokka had found me one day hiding among some wroshyr trees. I was barely a meter tall so I must’ve been less than a year old. Upon sensing my sensitivity to the Force and learning that I didn’t know my parents’ names, he brought me to the Temple. Apparently, I’d been speaking Xaczik when he found me, a dialect only known on the Wartaki Islands. He’d searched for years to find the family that lost their child.

I haven’t bothered to tell anyone else how old I am. There is no point. I came to the Temple without my age. Why should I correct the files in the Archives when this is so much more fun?

Victor grins at Rex, holding out his helmet. “Jingle jingle Captain, this helmet needs to be full of credits.”

I hear a voice peak up out of the crowd. “We’ve seen the COs and the Jedi Generals fight, but we haven’t seen the Jedi Commanders yet.”

Oh this should be good. I can sense the building frustration in my padawan, but she does not address it. Instead, she focuses on her curiosity. Well done, Leh. Captain Victor, with the help of Lieutenant Hammer, walks over to Leh. I am sure what comes next was supposed to be a whisper, but the good captain might have suffered some head trauma during his fight with the other clone officers because it’s not that quiet (though it is quieter than his normal speaking voice).

“You can take Commander Tano, right?”

The curiosity in my padawan spikes. “Hey Ahsoka.” she calls out.

Ahsoka, who was checking on her master, looks at Leh.

“Uh, pull out your lightsabers for me.”

Leh. Here I was thinking that Master Trebor had taught you how to be subtle! What are you doing? She’s already suspicious!

“Why?”

Leh’s struggling to maintain control of her mouth and lekku.

Come on Leh! I know you can do better than that!

“I-I wanna see your lightsabers.” 

Oh that was so bad. I have to resist the urge to drop my head in disappointment. Ahsoka’s suspicion has only increased.

“You’re just gonna make fun of me, aren’t you?”

Leh scoffs. “When have I **ever** made fun of you, _ háhdee_?”

Ahsoka deadpans at her, and Leh sighs.

Seriously Leh? You’ve made fun of her? Should I start making fun of you now?

“Okay, I **promise** I’m not gonna make fun of you this time. I **just** wanna see you do a cadence with your new shoto.”

Better! Note to self, remind Leh that if you want someone to do something for you, it never hurts to appeal to what they want first.

Ahsoka complies, running through the cadence.

Oh, so she’s decided to practice Form **V**. ...Why?

Leh is frustrated again.

Honestly I really need to teach that girl to control her emotions. If she’s going to continue spending time with races that can sense emotions as easily as Twi’lek, Togruta, and Nautolans, she needs to get better at hiding her emotions.

Leh leans in and whispers something to Victor that I can’t hear from where I am.

Victor nods and turns to Hammer. Victor, again with Hammer’s help, limps his way over to Rex. “Alright Rex! Whadya say one more bet? But this time we go high stakes.”

Oh boy. Victor might be just as bad as Dice. Rex raises an eyebrow at Victor, so he elaborates.

“I beat you. General Drayhu beat General Skywalker. I’m thinking…”

Far too much about these bets apparently.

“Commander Noss beats Commander Tano. And I’m willing to bet chores on it.”

Why am I not surprised? Wait...was that apprehension I sensed from Leh just now. Oh Leh, now **I **want you to fight Ahsoka. You should not fear a simple sparring match just because they’re betting. After all, if all Jedi lost their nerve just because people are relying on them to win, we would make terrible peacekeepers. You don’t get to back out of a fight just because someone is relying on you to win and you are not certain you can.

“So, if Commander Noss wins, you and the boys in the 501st, first thing tomorrow morning, come out to Assault Craft Yaim and clean her up until I can see my **reflection** in the hallway floors. But, if Commander Tano wins, I will give you every single credit I have earned today, and my boys in the 2532nd will come out and scrub down the 501st flagship’s hangar bay.”

I shoot Victor a glare. I believe I commented on how Yaim could do with some cleaning **three days ago**, captain. Why is it still dirty, and why are you pawning off your chores to other units? Well...so long as Yaim gets clean before we deploy, I suppose I have no say in how it gets done.

Rex looks around at the members of the 501st that are present before turning to Victor. “I’ll take that bet. Commander Tano can beat Commander Noss.”

Leh barks out a laugh before she can stop it from escaping.

Leh! Seriously! Where is all that poise and subtlety Master Trebor praised you for?!

Ahsoka glares daggers at Leh.

You deserve that Leh.

“Hey! I’ve improved a lot!” She retorts.

Before Leh can respond with her own remark, she is interrupted.

“You have a 47.33% chance of beating her, at best.”

I know that voice. I look past Leh to see a very familiar pair of twins. Oh! the Danakar twins are here! Wonderful! They will prove excellent challenges for Leh! She is **definitely** sparring with them.

Leh, after a brief pause, turns to face them.

They have her **full** attention, her fascination spilling out of her like a fountain.

“I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” she says.

Regina bows and replies for both of them, as usual. “Oh yes of course. I’m Regina Danakar, Master Plo Koon’s padawan learner.”

Oh so she became Plo Koon’s padawan? Interesting. I wonder how they’re handling her lightsaber training. She places one hand on Theta’s shoulder.

“This is my brother, Theta. He’s Master Mundi’s padawan.”

Master Mundi, now that choice makes quite a lot of sense. At the very least, he needs someone who can keep up with his mind and encourage him to use it. Huh. Leh Noss’s interest has only increased. I would not think she would find the Danakars so fascinating, but I suppose that they are a sight to behold. I watched them spar together. It is certainly something I want her to watch.

She turns to Theta. “You said Ahsoka has less than a fifty percent chance of beating me in a duel.”

“47.33%, yes,” Theta corrects her.

Leh tilts her head. “May I ask why?”

Theta nods, his face its usual blank seriousness. “Of course.”

Here comes the test, and not one of intelligence. Theta talks rather quickly but every word is carefully selected and brutally honest. There are few in the Order that can give you a better critical analysis than Theta.

“You use Makashi which is **designed** for lightsaber dueling which, when combined with your experience as a padawan, puts her at a natural disadvantage.”

He knows Leh uses Makashi? Perhaps he’s seen her duel before.

“That combined with the fact that she is apparently using **Form V **of all things puts her at a disadvantage because that is heavily reliant on a natural strength over your opponents which she does not have.”

He picked up on Ahsoka’s choice of Form V (the form I use) and the impracticality of that decision as well. Good.

“Combining that with your experience sparring, and **beating** her puts you at a natural advantage and would normally give you a 73.26% chance of beating her on any given day of the week.”

That confirms it. He **has** seen Leh and Ahsoka duel before.

“However she **is** training under Master Skywalker which complicates things.”

Really? Theta can perform highly complex calculations in his head in seconds, so you don’t always know what he includes in his calculations or how he produces these numbers.

“While Master Skywalker appears to use some form of Ataru, he actually doesn’t follow **any** structured form of lightsaber combat which means it is difficult for people to predict his next move but it also means that not even **he** knows what he will do in the next 3 seconds.”

I see. He is not wrong, Skywalker does use Form IV, but he also uses Form V, which is part of the reason his style is not perfect Ataru. Skywalker is, admittedly, very sloppy with his form, which is a shame since Master Secura does a good job of combining those forms so it’s not impossible to do.

“If Ahsoka has adopted this to any extent, it would mean that she will be less predictable to even someone with as much experience fighting her as yourself but it also means that her form is suffering as a result thus leaving even more openings to exploit.”

Okay, he’s not wrong there. A little harsh, yes, but not incorrect. Ahsoka needs to learn unpredictability while maintaining her form. She has always had very good form. It’d be a shame if she lost it.

“It is also clear that since she has not corrected an error that has been previously pointed out to her by you before she became a padawan, that means that her master is not paying attention to such things and is thus not helping her to improve where she needs to.”

That entire thing was just him calling Master Skywalker a poor master.

“However this is not surprising since Master Skywalker prefers to take advantage of openings in stance rather than guard so he would not be one to take notice of such errors.”

Where did he get that? I don’t know if Skywalker focuses on stance over guard, though I suppose it would explain why his defense is almost non-existent. Has Theta been watching recordings of fights?

“If she trained with Master Kenobi more, a master of Soresu and thus in an excellent position to check her guard, she would have fixed that opening by now.”

A very good suggestion Theta. She certainly spends a lot of time with Master Kenobi so it would not be impossible.

“Therefore, if she is able to utilize Master Skywalker’s ability to keep his movements unpredictable to opponents than she will prove to be a highly challenging adversary to you despite the fact that she has not corrected that opening in her guard.”

The entire hangar bay has gone deadly silent while Leh Noss has become a beacon of joy. She enjoyed every second of that analysis. She glances at Tano and Skywalker, who were not able to keep up with Theta. **Oh** ! **She** kept up with Theta. Congratulations Leh Noss, you passed the test. You are free to train with Theta as much as you want, for I know you will not get frustrated with him. Good for Theta. He has so few sparring partners nowadays.

Skywalker glances over at Master Kenobi, still lost in the fog of words. “Did he just…insult me?”

Leh erupts in a fit of laughter. “Yes, he did. **Five times** . It was **amazing** _ . _”

Leh, you should not find him insulting people so funny.

“But what….” Ahsoka hasn’t made her way out of the fog yet.

“Basically _ háhdee_, if you’ve picked up **anything** from Master Skywalker, this should be an interesting duel.”

Leh, now you’re just teasing her.

“That’s not at all what he said, is it?”

Leh shrugs. “It’s the gist. And if you can’t keep up…” She grins. “Then I’m afraid it’s up to your Master to teach you.”

Leh! You shouldn’t be insulting masters like that! Theta may have done it, but he was not doing it to insult them, his was merely a critique. There was no humor or malicious intent with it. Theta was simply stating facts. Note to self, lecture Leh about insulting her fellow Jedi.

Skywalker shrugs, his usual confidence returning as he puts a hand on Ahsoka’s shoulder. “You can take her, Snips.”

Leh glances at Theta with a grin.

Regina speaks up in the silence. “Are you two gonna fight or what?”

Leave it to Regina to try to instigate a fight.

Leh shrugs to Ahsoka. “What do you say, _ háhdee_? Shall we see what Master Skywalker has taught you?”

Ahsoka looks up at her master, before facing Leh with all of the determination she can manage. “You’re on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've decided to put all not Galactic Basic terms in italics & write them out phonetically. They may eventually be written in their native spelling, but since Drayhu doesn't know what they mean or the languages, they'll be written how they're pronounced since that's what she would know.


	11. Enter the Padawans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First the masters duel, then the apprentices. Only, I don't think anyone expected a lecture to go the other way around.

Ahsoka and Leh enter the circle Skywalker and I used earlier, and set about lowering the setting on their lightsabers. I could have done that with Leh’s for ‘Don’t Hit the Wookiee’, but she’s still new to it and I always start my padawans off using flashsabers on their lowest setting. I like having fur.

Leh finishes first so while Ahsoka takes care of her shoto, Leh brings up an important question. "I'm assuming we're going until one of us yields?"

Skywalker gives Master Kenobi a look like he expects **him** to answer her question.

Master Kenobi just shrugs.

Thank you Obi-Wan. Also, Anakin, if you were going to look at anyone, it should’ve been me. Obi-Wan has no stake in this.

Anakin shares a look with Ahsoka and comes to a decision. "Until you yield.”

Oh I’m gonna have some words with this man. Firstly, when padawans duel, it should be their masters that decide how the duel ends. Not the padawans. Then, it is up to the masters to ensure the lightsabers have been properly set. Since Anakin is making no move to check their lightsabers, I will. I step into the ring of crates, going to Leh first since she is my padawan and maybe Anakin will get the hint and check Ahsoka’s.

The only time you don’t check is when a master knows that their padawan has practice changing the settings of their lightsaber. In truth, it can take a practiced individual about 5 seconds to do it.

They each took about half a minute per lightsaber. I’m checking them. I make a quick check of Leh’s lightsaber, finding no problems. Seeing as Anakin isn’t going to check Ahsoka’s, I check her’s as well. I find no problems with the settings. Still important to check.

“Ready, _ háhdee_?” Leh asks Ahsoka who twirls her sabers into a reverse grip, taking up a typical Form V stance.

At least her stance is good.

“Ready.”

Leh flourishes her saber in the same Makashi salute she showed me when I asked to see her lightsaber all those months ago. Leh places her feet in more or less a straight line, lightsaber ready off to one side, a typical Makashi stance.

“Begin.” Master Kenobi calls, just as he did for my own fight.

Good. A third, impartial party is perfect for refereeing this duel.

Ahsoka and Leh stay frozen in a perfect picture for a few heartbeats. Then, quick as a commando droid (I’ve seen enough recordings), Ahsoka is striking towards Leh. Leh parries effortlessly, giving ground only when she has to.

Very good.

Initially, Leh allows Ahsoka to lead, pushing her in a circle as she stays on the defensive despite plenty of opportunities to attack. Ahsoka is fairly good at keeping up the attacks, but she is using too much energy for how little progress she’s making.

Hmm...she would certainly benefit from spending some time with Master Sinube. Maybe I can try to arrange some time at the temple for her.

Leh, bored of her defense, begins advancing. Ahsoka’s guard is not sufficient to protect her, but Leh gives her time to correct it. Leh takes one opportunity to kick Ahsoka in the ribs, sending her tumbling across the circle in an attempt to teach her to improve her guard. She is on her feet again in an instant as Leh continues to attack, but Ahsoka’s error does not get corrected. Ahsoka performs some entirely unnecessary acrobatics in an attempt to get behind Leh which ultimately do nothing but tire her further. Leh’s frustration is mounting.

She just wants the best for her friend but all she sees are errors and declining form.

Finally, Leh’s frustration reaches that crest where her patience has thinned and it begins to bud into anger. Striking quickly at each hand, Ahsoka drops her lightsabers.

I can sense determination in Ahsoka so I decide to end this before she hurts herself. “Solah!”

Leh does her best to calm herself, to return from that crest. “Ahsoka, I’m sorry to tell you that you have **not** improved in the months since I last saw you.” Ahsoka opens her mouth to protest, but Leh holds out a hand to silence her. “No, _ háhdee_. I have something that must be said, and your **Master** is going to hear it.”

I see, her frustration is directed at Skywalker. Very well. I will let her speak. I join Leh, Ahsoka, Skywalker, and Victor in the ring. Ahsoka is surprised, and I can sense a few of my fellow masters are worried for what my padawan will say, but I send a whisper of assurance to Leh, my permission to continue.

Folding her hands in front of her, she addresses Skywalker. “Master Skywalker, may I ask how long Ahsoka Tano has been your padawan learner?”

Skywalker rubs the back of his neck with one hand, glancing nervously at Master Kenobi before answering. “I-I’m not totally sure. Five months, I think?”

Skywalker! You should know **exactly** how long Ahsoka’s been with you!

“Five months. Master Skywalker, are you aware that I have sparred Padawan Tano before?”

He shrugs, his anxiety pulsing larger and larger the longer this conversation continues. “I mean, I could guess.”

Leh nods. “Then you know I speak from a position of authority when I tell you that, far from improving, Padawan Tano’s sparring capabilities have gotten **worse** since I last saw her.”

Well done. Maintaining poise and a calm exterior will help keep everyone calm.

"A year and a half ago, I warned Ahsoka that she was consistently dropping her guard and leaving herself open to attacks, particularly on her left side. I know she worked on it, because I know my sister. But as I said, it has been a **year and a half**_. _ And the problem has, **somehow**_, _ gotten **worse**_, _ not better. Ahsoka constantly leaves herself open to a frontal attack the longer the fight goes on, as her sabers drift farther and farther to either side.”

Breathe Leh, don’t get worked up now.

“In addition, she expended most of her energy in her first attack. This is an old problem that, again, has yet to be corrected. Theta was correct in his initial analysis - Ahsoka's technique has suffered over the last few months." She pauses to look Skywalker in his eyes. "As her Master, **you** are supposed to correct these problems. **And you have not** _ . _ Of course, I understand, we're at war. I'm sure it's difficult to fit training between battles and strategy meetings and all your other responsibilities. **But**_. _"

Breathe Leh, your lekku are **visibly** pulsing.

"If **I**_, _ a seventeen year old padawan can see the gaps in Ahsoka's defense, you can be **certain** the battle droids and Separatist troops will see them as well.”

You might be giving the battle droids too much credit.

“Or Force forbid you run into one of the **darksiders** I've heard about and Ahsoka ends up fighting **them**_._ And when the enemy sees through her defenses? They won't hold back because she's still learning. They will take the opportunities I ignored, and **kill** her.”

Good Leh, remind him of what’s at stake.

“So I don't care how busy your schedule is Master Skywalker, I am telling you to **make time**_. _ Before I receive a transmission telling me my little sister has followed my last Master and gone where I cannot follow."

Oh Leh. The room is quiet for a moment before Ahsoka speaks up in a hushed tone.

"Leh, I thought I was doing better, since I held you off for longer."

Leh’s anger is replaced with guilt and sorrow for her friend. "I am sorry, _ háhdee_. But the opening I finally took advantage of? I saw at least six times before that. I didn't," she glances at Skywalker while she speaks "because I was hoping your Master had actually taught you something other than how **not** to do things.”

Leh, you’re toeing the line here.

“But eventually my patience reached its end. So congratulations, Master Skywalker," she says, leaving the ring of crates, "you exhausted my patience. You can ask your padawan exactly how hard that is in your next training session." 

I watch Leh go to a quiet corner of the hangar and begin meditation. Good, Leh. I know your anger was only out of fear for your friend, so I will not lecture you about it, especially since you are working to release it.

Victor turns to me “Should someone go after the Commander?”

I shake my head. “No. It is best to leave her be.”

Victor approaches a clone in grey paint “I’m feeling good, want to make a bet? If Commander Noss beats your Jedi Commander, you replace my Deece.” A moment of hesitation comes before he adds “DC-17”.

Yup. He’s as bad as Dice.

The clone in grey gives a small nod, more an acknowledgement of having heard Victor than in accepting the bet.

Victor continues, “If your Jedi Commander beats Commander Noss, assuming she’ll be up to another match, I’ll buy drinks for you, General Plo Koon, and your favorite squad for an entire night.”

I can almost smell Regina’s excitement as she looks at Plo.

“Have you done your meditation yet?” Plo asks her.

She looks away “No master.”

Plo nods “Then let us do that first. It will give Padawan Noss time to recover her energy.”

She nods and follows him out of the room.

Wolffe turns to Victor, “You’ve got yourself a bet.”

I watch Victor approach Leh and they talk for a bit. Leh’s frustration mounts a little until it pitters out a little at the end. I decide to investigate. I hope I don’t have to lecture him about anything. I’m not really in the mood.

“Now, what was that about another round?” Leh asks him as I approach.

“General Plo Koon’s apprentice, the pale girl seemed interested in a sparring match with you, and I think everyone would enjoy watching that.”

I see. Excellent. I suppose this bet works in my favor. “Ah, Regina Danakar.”

Leh does a slight jump at the sound of my voice. Oh, so she didn’t hear me come over? I should do some blind practice with her and get her in the habit of knowing what’s around her despite distractions.

She nods, turning to me. “I know I was introduced to her earlier, but I didn’t remember her name clearly.”

Funny. It’s normally Theta that gets forgotten.

“I’m glad I’ve got a name to the face, but yes, Commander Danakar seemed interested in a sparring match with…” Victor pauses, choosing his words more carefully than one normally would. “you, sir.”

I see. So she finally got around to telling him about the title thing. Great. I was starting to think she’d given up after all those interruptions. I hear a distinct thump and turn to see Theta on the ground with one of the clone officers with brown paint on their armor standing over him. I see, he’s still bad at leaving Rising Meditation. He really needs to learn how to leave it without falling on his back. Myself, Victor, and Leh begin making our way towards the circle, passing Theta on the way.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to make ya fall. Just figured ya wouldn’t want to miss the fight.” The clone next to him says apologetically, nodding at where Regina has returned with Plo Koon.

“Voray, Bacara.”

The clone - Bacara - smiles, helping Theta to his feet “_Behgahdebtyeh_.”

Victor turns to look at Bacara. “What sort of a **hick** taught you Mando’a?”

Theta huffs out a laugh which he quickly silences.

Regina catches it and bursts out laughing so hard tears form.

Bacara is looking at Theta, feeling a little betrayed.

Theta wipes the small smile from his face, his tone (and emotions) apologetic. “I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.” Theta turns to Victor with budding interest. “_Gahr jorhaheer Mandoah_?” He asks.

Victor nods, his pride swelling “_Bahlbahn_!”

Theta gives the smallest of nods, turning back to the circle. I turn to see that Regina has composed herself and has entered the circle where she is now stretching. She is currently holding her leg up by her head using her hand to hold it up but not requiring a hand-hold to stay upright.

Regina, you don’t have to show off. I know you like to, but it really is not necessary. I don’t lecture her though. She is not my padawan learner, she is Plo Koon’s. It is his responsibility to lecture her. So why isn’t he? Instead, he and his squad are just watching her. I sense nothing but pride and comradery from them towards her. It would seem these clones are quite attached to her. Not that I’m surprised. Regina has never struggled to make friends. I am certain she and Leh will get along just fine. Neither of them is the type to hold a grudge, especially over a saber duel.

Master Plo double checks the settings of Regina’s lightsabers before stepping out of the ring. I don’t have to check Leh’s since she hasn’t changed the settings since her duel with Ahsoka. I do hope all of my fellow Jedi are watching, the Danakars are always a sight to see.

“Ready?” Leh asks.

Regina grins and flips her sabers into a reverse grip. “Oh, yes.”

Leh ignites her saber and flourishes it in her usual Makashi salute. “On your mark, Master Kenobi.” She calls, not looking away from Regina.


	12. Battle of the Padawans: Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drayhu wanted Leh to fight Regina for the experience. Who knew having the teenagers fight could get so emotional?

A few heartbeats of silence pass before his voice rings out. “Begin.”

Immediately, Regina takes off, leaping in a perfect Ataru cadence. Leh has experience fighting Ataru and the reverse grip thanks to her duels with Ces, but Regina is still a new challenge for her.

The angle of her sabers means that her lightsaber follows the curve of her arm, putting more force behind each attack, as well as providing even more control over each swing. It’s also harder to block and disarm her since she never extends her arm very far. As I remember from the only other time I’ve seen her duel, she is highly mobile and agile. It would seem I am correct since she is taking every chance to jump and flip over Leh.

I can sense pride from the soldiers in grey. Oh that’s right, Commander Wolffe is under Plo Koon so those soldiers would know her.

It takes Leh a bit to adjust her defense in response to the strange new angles, making her twist out of the way of several strikes before returning to her defensive position. Despite the similarities with Ahsoka and Ces, Leh seems to be enjoying herself.

Then, I feel a shift in the Force, a change in emotions. It’s not negative, in fact, it is a positive emotion. Regina is excited. I mean, she already was excited, has been since her master agreed to let her fight, but this is much more intense. Her strikes are getting stronger, and her lightsabers are moving so fast that she appears to have more than the two lightsabers she started with.

Wait...that sounds familiar. **Very** familiar. I didn’t know she was learning that form.

I watch as Leh finds her center in the Force, she’s surprised but doesn’t let it distract her. Instead, she starts shifting into an offensive strategy. She’s still blocking and avoiding strikes, but I am not sure how well she will do here.

Regina flips over Leh, who blocks her attacks, slipping her saber past Regina’s guard to point right above her chest as she lands on the floor. Leh follows her as she lands and slides backwards, her elbow slightly bent.

I can’t help but smile at how she managed to keep her saber from hitting Regina. She’s really got that skill down doesn’t she.

Regina freezes and I watch as she comes to the decision that she cannot win this, grinning up at Leh. “Well done!”

They deactivate their sabers as Victor cheers. Regina swiftly punches Leh in the shoulder, exclaiming something in Mando’a. I sense some recognition from my padawan which is quickly followed by a swift punch to Regina’s shoulder.

Regina looks downright amazed before she tackles Leh in a hug. “You knew what to do!!”

Leh returns the hug.

Regina’s excitement is...overwhelming. She needs to calm down a little.

“How did you know?!”

Leh shrugs. “I’ve spent most of my time as a padawan in the Senate building. A few years ago, I was at a party to welcome new senators and had the pleasure of meeting the Echani Senator. And, she had the pleasure of greeting me and my Master. With a punch.”

How is it possible for Regina to get even **more** excited?

“Senator Athelea? I know her! She’s amazing isn’t she?! Oh I am definitely picking your brain about the Senators!”

“Definitely!”

I’m glad they’re bonding.

Master Plo steps towards the ring. “Perhaps another time. Regina, let’s talk about your duel.”

Regina turns to follow her master, but Leh grabs her arm “Hey. You were really good.”

Regina gives Leh a carefree smile. “Thanks! You too!”

Leh grabs a seat on one of the crates. Good. That duel has probably taken a lot out of her.

I’m about to go and give her my own take on their duel when Ces and Ahsoka rush over to her. “_ Tah’eena! _”

Leh smiles, but holds out a hand to stop them from running into her. “_ Noomah, háhdee, _ you know I love you two, but go easy on me, okay?”

They exchange glances, then Ces gives Ahsoka a light shove. “Yeah, _ háhdee. _ Go easy on her.”

“_ Noomah! _”

Leh shakes her head in exasperation. Their banter dies off quickly, to be replaced by talk of the fight. I tune them out a little as I glance over at where Plo and Regina are standing. From here, I can guess by their stillness, their eyes being closed, and the calming waves coming off of Plo that they are meditating. Always a good thing to do when using that lightsaber form.

I just manage to catch Leh talking to Ces and Ahsoka. “Maybe you could ask Regina for some tips, I’m sure she’d be more than willing to give them to you.”

Very good Leh. I’m glad to see you’re still good at reading people. It is a valuable skill to have.

Victor enters the ring. “_ Alverdeeka _, I just wanted to congratulate you on a fight well won.”

Victor...what did you just call her?

Again, Theta huffs out a laugh. “_ Meerdalah _ , _ alorahd _.”

“_ Voray _.”

I still don’t know what they’re saying, but it is clear that Theta finds it amusing.

“Theta, _ te’ina, _” Leh calls melodically as she stands “do you happen to know what my captain just called me?”

Leh, you don’t need to do a sweet voice. Theta loves explaining things, especially when it has to do with Mandalore. He’ll tell you.

“Of course, although I am quite curious what you just called me.”

Nice Theta.

“It’s an approximation of a word in Nautila, it means brother.”

Leh...remember your lessons on attachment. So long as you can say goodbye, I won’t stop you, but you need to make sure you can actually do it without tearing yourself apart.

“I still want to know what Captain Victor called **me** _ . _”

Oh don’t worry. He’ll tell you.

“To simplify the long explanation of how Mando’a grammar and vocabulary work, he has combined the title _ ahlvairday _ with the affectionate diminutive suffix _ ‘eekah _ to form the new word _ alverdeeka _. Unless I have misinterpreted his choice in root words, he just called you ‘little commander’.”

At first, Leh is contemplative, but she freezes as Theta’s words sink in. “Oh Captain.”

I can **taste** Victor’s nervousness and displeasure as he turns to face Leh. “Yes, _ Alverdeeka? _”

“Didn’t I say to **stop** calling me commander?”

“Yes, _ Alverdeeka, _ ” Victor replies immediately. “That is why I have stopped calling you commander and started calling you _ Alverdeeka _.”

Not a bad loophole.

Leh sighs.

I sense resignation bloom within her, then, mischievousness.

“Theta,” She calls again with a smile, “would you mind suggesting something I can call my captain?”

Victor! Why is your vibroblade out? Put it away!

“Calm yourself _ kahleekah, _ ” Theta says to Victor, sounding a tad bored. “I would have to recommend one of three words. _ Check-ahr _ means to stab with a small blade or to shiv, _ kahleekeer _ means to stab with a narrow blade or skewer, and _ kahl _ is simply the word for blade.”

Leh fixes her gaze on Victor for several moments, contemplating her options. She turns back to Theta. “What was the word that meant to shiv?”

“_ Checkahr _.”

“_ Checkahr _ ,” she repeats. Theta nods, and she grins at Victor. “Alright, _ Checkahr. _ What bet did you win this time?”

Oh Victor is very excited to tell her about this.

“Got a new gun after Wolffe broke my last one.”

Regina giggles as she leans over to whisper in Leh’s ear. I can’t hear what’s said, but I sense amusement, curiosity, then joy from the two before a commotion grabs my attention.

Ces and Ahsoka are arguing.

“**You** already got to fight!”

“It was against **Leh** _ . _ It doesn’t count!”

“Yes it does! You lost, didn’t you?”

“Like you would have done any better.”

“_ Háhdee! _”

Leh is..frustrated with them, but does not show it in her tone. “Do I **want** to know?” 

They quiet down, embarrassed at being caught arguing.

Ces is the one to answer. “We were arguing over who gets to fight Regina next.”

That’s it? Regina is most definitely **willing** to fight both of you.

“Ahsoka, how many duels have you fought today?”

“One.” she replies with a smug grin at Ces.

“And how many has Ces fought?”

Ahsoka’s pride fizzles out, replaced by a bit of shame, guilt, and disappointment. “None.”

“So, what do you think should happen in this scenario?” 

Ces excitedly answers for her. “I get to fight Regina!”

I sense a flash of worry, but it evaporates before I can locate its source. Ces and Regina are already preparing for their duel, while everyone else exits the ring. Leh follows them. Master Secura double checks Ces’s lightsaber settings before exiting as well. See Anakin? That’s what a master is **supposed** to do.

Once Ces and Regina are alone in the ring, Master Kenobi calls out “Ready?”

Ces and Regina ignite their sabers simultaneously and settle into almost identical starting stances. Ces’s bright blue points at the ceiling, while Regina has her weight shifted back onto one foot, her sabers tracing the lines of her arms.

There’s another flash of worry and this time I can see the source. It’s Theta. **Theta** is the one with the mounting anxiety. Leh can sense it. I can see it in the way she’s looking at him. His anxiety is spreading to her as she looks between the two preparing to duel.

“Begin.”

Like a lightning strike Regina and Ces immediately leap into action. Literally. They jump around and after each other, one always in the air.

The shift from the last duel soon comes again, stronger than before.

A quick glance around tells me that Plo Koon is tense as well.

There’s a glint in Regina’s icy violet eyes that makes me pause. It’s not malice, but there’s something wrong. Something...dark. I get a flash to a boy with brown skin and eyes, with a similar darkness behind them. I know this. It is not the sort of darkness possessed by one who has fallen. No. It is the sort of darkness that has been submerged in the light for its entire existence and has just found a secret exit, finally rearing its ugly head to the sun. I remember the last time I saw a darkness such as this. That fight did not end well for the opponent.

Regina leaps into the air, her lightsabers spinning around her body, and Theta’s anxiety reaches its climax.

Master Kenobi’s peak is just as tall. “**HOLD**!” He calls, Force-pushing Ces away from Regina, and Regina lands looking around.

Regina’s excitement is joined by confusion, then both are replaced by fear, guilt, and shame. I sense a spike of worry from Leh but focus on Regina. This is also familiar to me.

“Oh Force, are you okay?!” Regina switches off her sabers and drops them to the ground, the metal clanging on the ground.

Just like he did. She takes a few steps towards Ces, then thinks better of it and backs away, leaving her lightsabers on the ground between them. She deflates, her shoulders collapsing inwards as her emotions mount.

Plo is already in front of her, gripping her shoulders to center her attention on him. “Regina, look at me, focus on me.”

She complies.

Good. That means she’s still aware of her surroundings.

“Everything is fine. Ces is fine. I am fine. The troops are fine. Theta is fine. Everyone is fine.”

While Plo’s words assure Regina, they seem to be worrying Leh. Thankfully, Victor is an excellent distraction. I see them whispering to each other and some of Leh’s concern gets replaced by frustration and a bit of irritation. This hangar is far too quiet for it to have so many people.

Ki-Adi’s voice draws my attention to him as he is speaking far louder than he needs to since I’m only 5 feet away. “Master Drayhu, could I borrow your ship?”

My ship? ….Ah. I see. That would be the best place to discuss what just happened. I nod. “Of course. If the Masters could please follow me to _ Yaim _’s bridge?”

All of the masters follow, with Plo grabbing a clone on his way to watch Regina.


	13. What now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is time for the Masters to meet and determine Regina's punishment. When they return, it is everyone else's turn to get in trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos are adored and comments keep me motivated to post

Once myself, Master Plo, Master Kenobi, Master Mundi, and Master Secura, along with **Knight** Skywalker, I turn to Plo. “What happened?” I ask.

Plo sighs. “Regina has been studying Vaapad under Master Windu for the last year.”

I figured as much. No one else could teach her that form.

“That explains why it felt so familiar. I stopped the match because I felt it reminded me far too much of my battle with Darth Maul in Theed Palace.”

So **that’s** why Kenobi ended the duel.

Master Mundi nods. “You were right to do so. Theta tells me he had a vision of her in that maneuver. By his calculations, her handguard would have made contact with Padawan Juwi’s lekku. The damage would have been severe.”

I sense a flash of concern and relief from Master Secura. She knows better than any of us how much pain damage to the lekku causes a Twi’lek.

“So, how should we handle this?” Obi-Wan asks.

“It is clear from Padawan Danakar’s reaction to the hold that she did not mean to harm Padawan Juwi.” Master Mundi comments, indirectly advocating for leniency.

I am inclined to agree with him.

“Perhaps we should call Master Yoda and Master Windu?” Master Secura suggests. “I do not know enough about Vaapad to make a justified decision.”

I agree and we call them at the Temple using _ Yaim _’s holoterminal. I want to return to the padawans, but this might be extended to include the entire High Council, so I should stay until they’ve decided that I am not needed here. Once they pick up and we have briefed them on what’s happened, they share a look of concern.

“Troubling this is.”

“She performed extremely well in our session yesterday, so this cannot be due to a lack of training or skill.”

Wow, it is rare for Mace to give..its not quite praise but it is the closest he gets to praise. He almost feels..disheartened. He doesn’t seem to blame her. He knew this could happen, but he really didn’t expect it to. This is a rare emotion for him. He had some manner of pride in her progress and it probably hurts him just a little to know she has had this..for lack of a better word, relapse.

“Do you know what prompted this loss of control?” He asks.

Master Plo nods. “I had Regina preemptively calm herself after her duel with Padawan Noss, which she succeeded in doing. However, the atmosphere was filled with excitement from her fellow padawans and the assembled clone troopers.”

I nod. “Indeed. Ces, Ahsoka, and Leh use their ability to sense emotions as part of their communication with each other. However, with someone as sensitive - and subject - to emotions as Regina is, this creates a feedback loop in which emotion is stacked, building on itself.”

“I see. Was Regina able to calm herself between the fights?”

Master Plo nods. “Yes, she was able to return to her baseline when it was just us, but when she rejoined the main group, I believe it surpassed her self-control.”

“Mmm. Yes. But let this blind us to the needs of the rest of the padawans, we cannot. Go. Return to your padawans. Supervision they should have. Reassure them, you should.”

Master Secura bows. “Of course.”

I follow Master Mundi, Secura, and Kenobi out, making sure Anakin comes along. It is not that I don’t trust him, but I know that he likes to know what’s going on, even if he has absolutely no right to know. We exit _ Yaim _’s bridge and I see Wolffe take up a guard position outside the bridge as Regina enters. She looks downtrodden. I am not surprised. I know Master Windu can be a harsh instructor, but it is only because teaching Vaapad requires one to be as unyielding as stone.

I join my fellow masters and Anakin outside Yaim to find a wall of crates that was not there when we’d entered the assault craft.

“Begin!” We hear a clone call out, his voice carrying across the hangar.

They aren’t actually…

I follow Master Kenobi past the wall of crates - which are apparently serving as bleechers - to find Ces and Theta sparring while Leh and Commander Cody stand across the ring from each other. On the one hand, this is a bit irresponsible. On the other hand…at least it’s well managed.

I watch as Ces jumps and flips over Theta at a variety of odd angles, trying to land a hit. It does her no good. Theta blocks every strike with ease. I see he’s been practicing. Good. It was I who taught him to use the double-bladed lightsaber, since it was the variant I used as a padawan.

I look to my fellow masters and we come to the silent agreement to let them proceed while being prepared to intervene should we feel it necessary. Master Kenobi seems intrigued, and I don’t blame him. Theta is one of maybe 4 initiates to focus on Soresu.

Ces makes a few more well placed attacks but all are deflected. I watch as she crouches, making side-hops back and forth as she darts towards him. I am not overly familiar with Ataru, but I believe this is one of the few attacks that aims for the lower body.

With a flick of his wrists and a twist of his torso, Theta has brought one half of his saber staff into a saber lock with Ces’s lightsaber, and the other poised over her head. I knew the boy liked to be prepared, but I did not realize he’d made it so he could separate the two halves.

“Solah!” Leh calls quickly, urgency tingeing her voice.

They both deactivate their lightsabers and take a step back, Theta reconnecting his sabers into the double-bladed configuration before putting it on his back.

Ces is still surprised. “Wait. That splits in two?!”

Not the most dignified way to ask that but I can’t exactly blame her for it.

Theta nods, “_ Lehk _.”

More Mando’a. He really does prefer the language to Basic.

Ces blinks twice, her surprise giving way to curiosity. “What?”

Ces, if you were asking anyone else, I’d say you’re fine to ask that, but Theta won’t understand what you’re asking because he overthinks conversations and can’t read emotions very well.

Leh steps into the ring. “Was that Mando’a?”

Theta nods again. “_ Lehk. _ Yes.”

Good. He remembered to translate this time. Leh grins. She certainly seems to enjoy learning languages.

“Cool.” With her comment given, she refocuses on the duel that just ended. As expected, she is to give at least one comment on the duel as the referee. “That was a good duel.”

Ces frowns and I sense disappointment in her. “But I lost again.”

I can feel Leh’s desire to assure her adopted sister but Theta beats her to it. I can feel his frustration, I think it’s mostly with himself, as he tries to keep his explanation simple.

“Leh’s not wrong. I initially estimated that you only had a 35.27% chance of winning, but I underestimated you which almost never happens.”

I sense surprise from Leh. No one’s perfect, but Theta is typically very cautious in his estimations. Ces must have improved a lot for him to have underestimated her skills.

“You are much better at varying your attacks and recovering from a block or missed attack than I observed with your previous duels.”

He’s forcing himself to slow down. He’s not used to it and it’s making him uncomfortable.

“However…” Theta pauses a moment before continuing. “I am able to calculate probabilities, angles, trajectories, distances, and estimate time at a level comparable to a Cerean or Siniteen. I won because I could see where you were going to be before you got there.”

He waits for Ces to nod before continuing, expectation dancing off her lekku. Not that Theta can recognize that.

“When you used cadence three, you were making jumps of equal distance at near identical trajectories.”

I’m a little surprised he knows which cadence that is.

“If you had varied those more, I would have had a harder time predicting where you would end up.”

Ces takes a moment to process this before her lekku shift in understanding and she glows with gratitude. “I’ll have to practice that with Master Secura. Thank you.”

Myself and the other masters approach the ring and Leh turns to see us, relief flowing out of her like waves on the shore.

Master Secura approaches the ring, some mix of disapproval and amusement swirling inside her. “Padawan. Did you just duel without Master supervision?”

Now Leh’s worried. Relax, Leh, you’re not in trouble.

“Um…” It would seem Ces’s mind has gone very helpfully blank.

She’s panicking.

HA! It would seem her default response when panicking is to turn to Leh. She’s not gonna help you! Leh’s too busy panicking to help you!

“Does Leh count?”

It takes every ounce of control I have within me to not bust out laughing at that response. Leh isn’t quite panicking right now, but there’s a nervous urgency to her suggesting that she does not want to be involved in this conversation.

“Not quite. I will count her as supervision, however, she’s missing one important word. Care to guess what that is?” Master Secura, you are very dedicated to this joke aren’t you?

Ces lowers her head. “She’s not a Master.”

Victor decides to jump in. “Technically, that word is present, though I doubt that Quartermaster Fixit is what you had in mind.”

Victor...no.

Theta chimes in. “Master Secura, I don’t know what you mean, we had the appropriate supervision.”

Leh’s panic rises.

Calm down Leh.

Master Secura raises an eyebrow at him. “And who was that?”

“Leh and Ahsoka of course, in lieu of a Master’s presence, initiates or padawans may have two padawans observe.”

There’s a pause, and Master Secura smiles, her mock disappointment fading into amusement. “Well, it is good to see that at least one of you remembered my lesson on dueling safety.”

Leh’s surprise fades into a calm, confident facade. Is she trying to pretend that she knew Master Secura was joking? You may be able to fool the others, but you can’t fool me.

“So, have you decided on who’s going next?”

Ahsoka answers. “I am. Leh said Ces could duel Theta first, then it would be my turn.” 

Another spike of anxiety from Leh. Calm down Leh. Master Secura turns to Theta expectantly.

Theta stares back at her for a minute before his confusion clears and he shrugs. “I am not opposed to dueling again.”

Ahsoka punches the air with a fist. “Yes!”

Ces leaves the ring only to be eagerly replaced Ahsoka.

“Kenobi, would you mind repeating your role from earlier as our impartial referee?” Master Secura asks as she makes her way around the ring to Ces.

“Not at all,” Master Kenobi replies as he takes Commander Cody’s spot.

I sense relief from Leh as she steps back, looking around the room. I grin “Leh, why don’t you referee with Master Kenobi?” I can sense that Leh is not happy with me. I expected as much, but she needs the practice.

She returns to her previous spot now across from Master Kenobi, tilting her head in curiosity. “If that’s all right with you Master Kenobi?”

Master Kenobi nods. “I see no reason why not. You did an excellent job with the last duel - although perhaps you’d like to start this time?”

“I will start when Ahsoka and Theta are ready,” Leh replies, hopping onto a crate and sitting cross-legged on it.

Like it or not, you need the practice. You’ll be taking the trials before you know it, Leh. I’m just trying to prepare you.

As soon as Leh speaks, Ahsoka has drawn her lightsabers, brandishing them in her beginning Form V stance. Theta, on the other hand, takes his time drawing his lightsaber, igniting it, and saluting Ahsoka before entering his own opening stance.

“Begin.” Leh calls out.


	14. Lessons Paying Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drayhu is very proud of Leh.

Theta and Ahsoka stay put, staring each other down. I sense determination from Ahsoka, while I sense only a calm confidence from Theta. He is certain that he will win, probably both the waiting game and the duel.

A minute and a half goes by before the bottom tips of Ahsoka’s lekku twitch, her patience wearing thin. I know from my time training him with the saber staff that Theta could be a statue for an entire rotation if he wanted to.

After a full two minutes have passed since Leh began the duel, Ahsoka leaps into the air, landing right in front of Theta.

She twists her upper body so her lightsaber comes up from below, giving her strike more power behind it. Theta deflects the attack, pushing down on her lightsaber with the front of his saber staff. She brings her shoto around to strike his unguarded right side.

A good tactic, most with a saber staff would be forced to disengage. But Theta, like Master Skywalker, likes to tinker.

Theta twists off the back half of his saber, pushing down on her lightsaber with the half in his left hand so he can push her shoto out with his right. He quickly takes advantage of the opening he’s created, raising his right foot to land a kick to her sternum. Ahsoka sees it coming and rolls backwards, clipping her foot on his boot as she does, making her ankle snap down a little.

That is going to leave a bruise.

She lands a few feet away as Theta gives chase, reconnecting the two halves of his lightsaber. Theta gets through one velocity of Makashi strikes before switching back into Soresu, letting Ahsoka return to the offensive. She blocks his strikes and immediately jumps on the chance to take the offensive.

I sense a flash of enjoyment from Theta. At least he’s having a bit of fun here.

Not five minutes later, as Ahsoka is flipping over Theta, he flicks the blade of his saber into her ankle…the same one she’d clipped on his boot earlier. I watch as the pain flares through Ahsoka’s body from her ankle, making her curl in on herself a little and changing the angle of her fall. She is not going to stick this landing. I’m about to catch her when Leh beats me to it, catching her just before she hits the ground.

“Solah!” Master Kenobi calls, shortly before entering the ring with Master Skywalker as Leh puts Ahsoka on the ground.

After checking her, they move her out of the ring so a medical officer can check her. Leh moves to check as well, but Bacta and Splint intervene, trying to console her.

Then, I hear a clone’s voice carry past the murmurs of the gathered troops. “So, who do you think would win? Commander Noss, or Commander Danakar?”

I don’t know, and that is one of the reasons I intend to have them spar.

Ces seems all too happy to explore this question. “Now that’s a good question. Hey,  _ ta’ina _ !”

Leh turns to look at Ces.

“Your turn.”

She was far too happy to say that.

Ahsoka nods confidently “Leh’s gonna win.”

Leh shakes her head, playfully glaring at Ahsoka.

I sense a bit of frustration from somewhere off to my left. I glance in that direction to see Regina. Despite the brief flash of frustration, she still exudes excitement. A quick glance at how she, Master Plo, and Commander Wolffe are standing, I can guess what was said with Master Windu.

In effect, no more dueling, and she is to be monitored until she returns to the temple. Learning Form VII is characterized by dramatic mood swings in the middle stage, meaning she’s gotten past the initial trouble of storing one’s emotions deep within for later use.

Wolffe is standing slightly behind her while Plo is next to her, her lightsabers in the hand on the opposite side of his body from her. Yeah she’s not dueling anyone else for the rest of the day **at** **least**.

“Please,  _ hádi _ . What makes you so sure?” Leh asks.

“You always win.” Ahsoka replies, very matter-of-factly.

Well at least we know her ego will be intact by the end of her apprenticeship. The only question left to ask is, will her body be equally unscathed?

“I thank you for your unwavering faith,” Leh replies, turning back to the ring.

The wall of calm that is Theta gets a spike of adrenaline and anticipation.

“What do you say,  _ vod _ ? Are you willing to do another round?”

She’s really taken to learning these languages. Maybe I can get her some materials to study with. Then she can practice with Victor.

Theta’s eyes focus on Leh. His face is pensive but soon blossoms into a very Regina-esque grin. It’s the kind of grin that shows excitement at a challenge, like seeing the tallest mountain in the galaxy and declaring with absolute certainty that you will reach the summit by dawn. He silently extends one arm out, motioning to the opposite end of the ring from him. “I thought you’d never ask.”

So Leh is the challenge eh? Interesting. I wonder what makes her such a challenge for him (according to those numbers he’s always calculating).

“Well then,  _ vod _ ,” Leh says, stepping into the ring, “shall we answer their question?”

He gives her a firm nod “ _ Bal’ban _ . Indeed.”

Leh grins as she draws her lightsaber, Theta following suit as Leh calls out “Master Kenobi, as ever, on your mark.”

Master Kenobi doesn’t argue. The two ignite their lightsabers and exchange Makashi salutes. Leh settles into her go-to starting stance, while Theta takes up a new starting stance just for her.

He’s been doing that for years, basing the stance on how he thinks his opponent will fight him. His right hand is forward, the arm almost completely straight, while his left hand is by his cheekbone. Both sets of knuckles are aimed at the ceiling. This puts his front saber aimed at Leh, and the back saber over his shoulder. So, he’s expecting that he’ll have to do a couple quick reversals in the near future.

Interesting.

Master Kenobi calls out “Begin!”

At first, there is no movement at the call to begin. They stay as they are, staring each other down.

Around the 2 minute mark, I sense a flash of confusion from Leh. It takes me about a minute to realize that Theta has started tapping his lightsaber with his left thumb. He’s telekinetically messing with Leh, likely just twitching one of her lekku a little. Not the most honorable of tactics, but an effective one in annoying one’s opponent. A few more sporadic flicks to her lekku, and her confusion mixes with a bit of a bit of irritation. Her eyes are still locked with his, but there’s a flash of recognition mixed with disapproval from her. Theta flashes that same grin from earlier at her. It’s smaller than before, but it carries the same connotation. Three more minutes pass without any further movement from either padawan.

“Is it just whoever moves first loses?” asks a clone from up above.

I look up to see that a squad of jet troopers -  **my** jet troopers - is in the rafters. When did they get up there? I sense idle confusion and curiosity from both Leh and Theta but they don’t break eye contact to see who spoke. Master Kenobi looks around at the rest of us masters confused as he looks between Theta and Leh. He’s not confused by the comment, he’s confused on what to do. He can’t force them to act, but this is getting silly.

Master Skywalker turns to Master Mundi and myself “Are they gonna move some time this month?”

Ahsoka turns to her master. “Probably not, Sky Guy.  **This** is  _ ta’ina _ ’s patience.”

There’s a moment of shocked realization from him before he nods. Guess he remembers Leh’s comment from earlier about that.

Master Mundi speaks up. “As to your question, Skywalker, they are moving.”

Master Skywalker gives him an incredulous look. Master Mundi, seeing the look, elaborates. “Do you see how Padawan Danakar’s fingers are tapping his lightsaber?”

He adjusts his view and nods. “Yeah.”

Master Mundi nods towards Theta. “And do you see how Padawan Noss’s lekku are moving?”

Again, a small adjustment of his angle, and he nods. “Yeah.”

Master Mundi smiles. “These two actions are directly connected.”

I see recognition click on Master Skywalker’s face as he realizes what Theta is doing. I feel confliction cross his mind as he’s torn between maintaining a professional appearance with us masters, and approval of the tactic.

He eventually settles on a mild confusion for his facade. “Isn’t that a little..childish?”

Master Mundi’s response is..noncommittal. “Perhaps, but it is a harmless, effective method at enticing one’s opponent to act before they are ready or willing.”

I sense resolve settle within my padawan, followed by some uncertainty as she begins to circle counterclockwise. She doesn’t know what to do here. She’s never been the one to act first. This is why I wanted you to fight him Leh. You’ll be hard pressed finding anyone more patient.

As soon as her right foot lands, Theta begins circling as well, matching her a half-step after her as they move from their spots for the first time in 7 minutes. They get through one full lap around the ring before Leh makes a noncommittal strike at his torso to test his guard. Theta lets her do this three times.

Leh backs off, waiting to see if Theta is going to do anything different. Utilizing his original stance, he completes four small reversals in only a few seconds. His attacks are also at half strength, testing her own guard for weaknesses.

His form is just as excellent as I remember, which is good since I’m the one who taught him to use the saber staff. Now Theta has backed off, resuming a defensive stance. Leh seems to resign herself to attacking first again, only for Theta to attack with a series of quick reversals. Theta likes to make people second guess what they think they know about him and the duel as well as what their plans for the next few attacks. He excels at switching tactics on a dime, hence his highly modified lightsaber.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Parry. Riposte.

Leh raises her off hand, intending to utilize the Force push technique. Theta, seeing it coming, raises two fingers and pulls her with him as he gets pushed back, throwing her off. As they stumble, Leh flips her hand around and pulls Theta towards her.

Well done Leh. No one ever said you couldn’t turn the tide by copying your opponent’s technique.

As Theta is suddenly pulled towards her, she raises her saber to strike his right shoulder.

Excellent idea Leh. The shoulder will hurt and end the fight if struck, and Theta’s right hand isn’t holding his lightsaber so he can’t bring it up in time to block. She might actually have this one. Though I have a feeling Theta won’t let this end so easily.

Theta has a tendency to adapt to situations, finding solutions where others would not and enacting them long before anyone’s thought of his solution. In an instant, Theta’s right arm is up and blocking the strike with his vambrace. This makes Leh pause, but only for a moment.

Careful Leh. Theta thrives on using shock factor to throw off his opponents mentally. Every aspect of fighting him is, to an extent, a mental battle as well.

In an instant though, Leh disengages to strike at his lower abdomen. He quickly brings his saber up to block it, grabbing the handle again as soon as the pressure lets up on his right arm. Theta is rather strong, and he uses the Force to extend his endurance and boost his strength, but a saber staff is still heavy and best wielded with two hands.

They’re back at it again, but it would seem Master Kenobi is done refereeing this duel. “Solah!” he calls.

Theta stops, but Leh keeps going, her saber still in motion before she registers that he’s stopped.

She must not have heard him.

Just before her saber can collide with his shoulder, her blade freezes mere inches from his clothes.

That was  **perfect** Leh! “And that is why we play ‘Don’t Hit the Wookiee!’. Well done Leh.” I call out to her.


	15. If Sibling Fights are Mean, Twin Fights are Brutal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well since just about everyone else has battled, it's the twins' turn now...and they are merciless.

Leh looks around, her confusion clearing up as she registers what happened. They deactivate their sabers and Theta gives Leh a respectful bow, bending at the waist and lowering his eyes to the ground.

“_Voreh_, thank you,” He straightens “it has been too long since anyone has forced me to act on instinct. I appreciate the change of pace.”

Leh returns the bow to the same degree. “You are welcome” she replies with a smile. “How do you say that in Mando’a?”

“_Bahgehdeht-yeh_.”

Yeah, I’m getting her study materials for Mando’a.

She nods and repeats the word back to him. I sense excitement from Regina, but it’s almost drowned out by Leh’s curiosity as she turns to Master Kenobi. “Master Kenobi, might I inquire as to why exactly you stopped the duel?”

Master Kenobi clears his throat as he enters the ring. “Yes. Well,” he looks at Theta “I wanted to check on your arm young one. You **did** take a lightsaber to it after all.”

Theta twitches slightly. He must want to correct him about something.

While he doesn’t do it intentionally, Theta does have a tendency to speak a little too honestly sometimes. A trait he inherited from his Mandalorian ancestors.

Master Kenobi enters the ring as Theta puts his lightsaber on his back, holding up his right forearm for him to examine. “As to why I ended the match instead of simply halting it was because I believe 10 minutes is long enough.”

Leh’s confused again. “Was it really ten minutes?” Leh asks.

Yes, Leh, it was.

Theta shrugs “Nine minutes, 47.2 seconds.”

There’s a slight pause during which Leh is processing this before Theta speaks up again, breaking the silence “Though we were only actively dueling for about 3 minutes 56.8 seconds.”

She gives a slow nod. “Huh.”

Master Kenobi looks at Theta’s arm and makes a small, confused sound.

“_Behskahr_.” Theta supplies.

Master Kenobi nods, then quickly does a double take. “How do you have _ behskahr_?”

With that, Regina leaps over the crates, her boots clanging on the metal floor. “Simple,” she says as every eye turns to look at her as she approaches the three in the ring, “our mother is Mandalorian. She sent us _ behskahr _ boots, greaves, and vambraces.” She looks at Leh, giving her a little wave “_Soocooee_.”

Leh is filled with shock and concern as she pulls Regina into a tight hug, then quickly releasing and spinning her, checking for injuries. She calms down when she sees that Regina isn’t hurt. She holds Regina in place by her shoulders to look at her face. “_Taheenah_, are you okay?”

Regina gives a small smile and a shrug. “Not hurt. Though I will be spending every hour of daylight with Master Windu until our next deployment.”

That sounds like something Master Windu would do.

Leh nods, her worry dissipating fully now. “I’m just happy to know you’re okay.”

Ahsoka pipes up to my left “Wait, Regina’s back? Do I get to duel her now?”

Leh turns to face her, tension in her lekku.

The medic next to her is quick to shoot Ahsoka’s idea down though “Commander, when I told you no more duels today, I meant no. More. Duels.”

“But-”

“No. **More**.” Regina leans forward on one foot around Leh to look at Ahsoka.

“Sorry, Ahsoka. Master Windu says I can’t duel anymore today either.”

Leh glances over her shoulder to look at Regina.

Regina looks up at her, giving her a little smile and wave before standing like a normal person again. Regina quickly spins around, pointing at Theta. “_Keh’ahkahneer nee_!”

I do not speak Mando’a. I have **no** idea what she just said.

“_Taheena_, what did you just say?” Leh asks.

Regina sends Theta some sort of look, but he just gives her a small smirk. It would seem that Theta is starting to relax around them now. Regina’s voice sounds so innocent, I almost miss her translation, my ears just barely catching the words “Fight me.” floating in the air.

“Regina _ taheena vohd _ Danakar. What did you **just say** you were **forbidden** from doing?”

While I am inclined to tell you that you are not in charge of her Leh, I do appreciate you bringing this up.

Regina quickly straightens up and spins to face her. She raises her pointer finger between them, lowering it as she forgets her argument momentarily. “I have been forbidden from _ kahdow_, **lightsaber** duels. Not fighting.”

Leh gives Regina the closest approximation of a ‘your argument is useless here’ look she can manage. “I fail to see the difference.”

Regina grins. “Easy. No lightsabers.”

Leh sinks into a depressive headspace and I worry that I’ll have to pull her out of it. Thankfully, she emerges on her own and shrugs. “Well then.” She looks around Regina to look at Theta, and Regina looks over her shoulder to look as well. “What does your brother think?”

I catch a flash of annoyance from Regina before Theta turns to his clone commander. “Bacara.”

Bacara straightens his posture a little. “Yes?”

Theta holds up his lightsaber. “Hold this for me will you?”

Bacara nods. “Of course.”

Theta tosses it and Bacara catches it with ease.

He looks at Regina. “_Keh-tseekahdohr trahtohkohr, vohdeekah_.”

Regina’s irritation spikes. “I’m older than you!!”

“But you’re shorter.”

“But I’m **six** minutes older than you!”

“So?”

“**So**, those six minutes of blissful separation made me wise beyond our years. You never had that so you’re behind in the game.”

I see Leh whisper something to Victor but I can’t hear it over their continued argument.

“_Kaysh meersh sohluhs_.”

Regina gasps dramatically at the phrase. “You take that back!”

He flashes Regina that grin again. “_Kehgyshay nee_.”

Regina storms to the opposite end of the ring, turning to face Theta as she falls, stiffly, into her opening stance. Theta returns to his corner and does the same.

There’s determination in Regina. I catch Leh tell Victor something about leaving the ring and they do so.

Before the twins can go at it though, Master Mundi has something to say first. “Danakar.” He calls, calmly, almost as a question.

“Yes, Master Mundi?” They ask in perfect unison, never breaking eye contact.

“When you spar with Commander Bacara and Commander Wolffe, do you wear your armor?”

Their tenacity wavers as they look at each other. Again, in unison, they reply “No, Master Mundi.” before turning around and removing their boots, greaves, and vambraces.

A few people chuckle, but I’m too focused on the fact that Regina is getting another emotional swing, this time towards the negative, plunging her into a sea of negative thoughts. Theta, sensing his sister’s distress, pushes his own calming aura out to her. She lets him in, synchronizing her heartbeat with his and letting his own emotions take over hers. She throws Theta a grateful smile over her shoulder. His relief is palpable. He didn’t interfere during her duel because outside interference is prohibited in duels. Regina turns to face him and they nod in sync.

Master Plo speaks up, looking at Master Mundi. “Well, I don’t know about you, Master Mundi, but I, for one, do not know enough about martial combat to properly referee this match.”

“I’m afraid I am no better, Master Plo. So, who shall we have referee? Neither Skywalker, Kenobi, Secura, nor Drayhu are in any better position.” Master Mundi replies.

Master Secura steps forward. “Then perhaps we have the clones referee? Commander Bly.” She summons her clone commander.

“An excellent suggestion, Master Secura.” I join in, going off of the excitement I had felt from Victor when the twins squared up a minute ago. “Victor, you can be the second referee.”

Victor nods “Understood General,” and turns to look at Bly and the twins, “what ruleset? First hit landed? First to knockdown? Surrender?”

Regina raises her hand “Captain?”

“Yes, Commander Regina?” he replies.

“What’s sirehnderr?” she asks over-pronouncing the word ‘surrender’.

Regina, just because you don’t like the word doesn’t mean you don’t know what it means.

Victor stares at her for a moment before turning his head slightly to look at Bly “so first hit landed or knockdown?”

“It’ll have to be knockdown. We land hits all the time.” Theta says.

Bly and Victor nod in agreement and take up positions on opposite sides of the ring. Once they’re in position, Theta and Regina slip into their beginning stances. Regina has set herself up for a block and counterstrike from the front, while Theta has set himself up for blocking a low shot and countering up high.

Victor and Bly exchange a nod and Bly throws up his hand, hollering as loud as he can “BEGIN!”

Regina opens with a Force dash past Theta, arriving at the ring of crates behind him and kicking off the edge, twisting so she can punch Theta in the soft juncture where the shoulder meets the neck. He Force pushes her backwards. She twists midair to land on the crate, crouched on the edge for a breath before launching herself at him again, aiming low this time.

Theta lets her hit him, his body going limp. As they fall to the ground, he uses the momentum to lift himself, so he’s on his shoulders. Theta’s feet brace against her midriff and he uses the leverage to swing his legs over his head, launching Regina over him.

Again, she corrects her orientation, landing on her feet and charging at him. Theta quickly gets to his feet, blocking each of Regina’s jabs and countering every strike, with her blocking and countering just the same.

Regina dashes backwards, then back at him, her hands clasped together so her elbow is facing him. Theta steps in, grabbing her hands in one of his and pulling them up to her face. Regina knees him in the side as he pushes his palm into her chest. They separate, both seeming to be out of breath.

Regina tries to punch Theta again, but his open hand wraps around her wrist, pushing it out and holding it there. Regina, already mid-swing with her other hand, doesn’t have time to stop before he repeats the counter. Once he has her arms pinned, she wraps her hands around his wrists, keeping him pinned as she pulls herself up. She brings her knees to her chest and planting her feet on his chest. They land on the ground, Regina landing on top of Theta.

“_Kehgehv_.” Victor yells, and Regina immediately jumps off of him as Victor calls out “So-law!”

That was such a bad pronunciation.

Regina returns to Theta, leaning over his head as Bacta and Splint come over to check on him. They exchange some words in Mando’a before Regina looks up at Leh “I asked him, ‘sibling, are you alive or dead’ to which he replied ‘dead’. My response means, well, **colloquially** , it encourages them to take a long rest...” At Leh’s somewhat expectant gaze, Regina continues. “ **Literally**, it means ‘you’re no use to me dead’.”

Leh looks between Regina, Ahsoka and Ces a few times. She lets out a small sigh “I expect nothing less of siblings.”

Her voice picks up a bit as she gives Regina a thankful nod “Thank you.”

Regina nods. “_Bahgehdeht-yeh_.” She backs up a bit so the medics can step in to check on Theta. Regina quickly steps back in though, leaning over Theta to tell him one last thing. _"__Nee parjee_.”

Again, I have no idea what that means. With that said, Regina quickly turns and sits on a box, hissing in pain. She grins as a medic from Plo’s battalion comes over. Soon, the medics confirm that Theta will be fine. It is good to see the young ones getting along so well.


	16. Derailed Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little did Palpatine know, his plan to keep the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems at war is derailing more than just peace talks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as a reminder. It is still 978 FGR / 22 BBY (first year of the Clone Wars)

The hallways are so quiet. Normally, I would have run into someone by now. I know it is early, earlier than the troopers wake, but there have always been Jedi that rise before the sun. I know them. I used to always have breakfast with them. But now? They are all either on deployment, in the Medical Corps tower, or dead. It is a sobering thought….if I was emotionally caught up in the war. I have never liked war though. It is why - among other reasons - when I had the choice of staying with my family or becoming a Jedi, I chose the Jedi.

“Master Drayhu. Come. Sit. Spoken in some time, we have not.”

“I noticed.” I reply, joining Master Yoda by the window.

“Know why, called you here, I have? Hmm?”

“I have an idea.” I say, gazing out over the city skyline, the sun resting on the horizon line.

“Questions, you have. Ask them, you should.”

I sigh. “With this war…are you still planning on stepping down in 2 years?”

He hums “No.”

Oh thank the _ Force_!

“Benefit no one, handing it off now would. At an end, we must wait until this war is.”

I nod. That is what I was expecting to hear. “Thank you, Master Yoda.”

He nods. “Ready to lead the Order, you are, but equipped to wage this war, you are not.”

“On the second one we agree, Master Yoda. Not so much on the first.”

He chuckles. “Doubt yourself, you should not.”

I shake my head “It’s not even that, Master Yoda.”

“What is?”

“This war. What if it drags on? What if you die? What if I die? What if, after this war ends, the galaxy has changed too much? What if I cannot handle the galaxy this war creates?”

He jabs his gimer stick into my ankle and I grumble, rubbing the area. It was not a sharp or intense pain, but it still hurt.

“Doubt yourself you must not. Ready, you are, and ready, you will be when the time comes. Asking, the only question you should be, if you can relinquish your freedom for this responsibility, is.”

I should believe him. I _ want _ to believe him. But it is so hard, knowing how much war can change things. But, for the good of the Order, I need to believe him.

“Still so young, you are. Afraid to fail the Order, you are, but to fail me, your master, and your students, even more.”

Why does he always have to be right? I smile. “I just.” I take a deep, calming breath, gathering my thoughts. “You have been Grand Master for so long. I know no other way to lead, but I also know that I cannot lead as you have. I cannot stay secluded from the stars in the Temple for the rest of my life. I fear some may compare me to you, may see me as a lesser version of you.”

He nods slowly. “Yes. Always those who compare you to those who came before, there will be. Let them affect you, you cannot. Ignore them. No say in your abilities, have they. Yes?”

I nod. “The best we can do is make the best decision we can with what we have, and prepare for the consequences of those decisions.”

He smiles “See? See? Ready, you are.”

I roll my head at him but give him a smile so he knows I don’t mean it.

“Ready to lead, you are. Prove it to you, I shall.”

“How?”

He grins, and I resist the urge to kick myself. Never ask Master Yoda how he plans to accomplish something. You’ll never like the answer.

“Next deployment, in command you will be.”

That figures.

“You to participate in meetings with myself and Master Windu from now on, I want. Help us coordinate and plan whenever possible, you should. Good learning experience, it will be.”

Translation, I am about to get a lot more authority, but also a lot busier. I can handle that. “How do you do it?”

“What you mean, hmm?”

“How is it that you have served as Grand Master for so long and not lost your mind? How do you put up with the politicians, the meetings, and the responsibility?”

Master Yoda is silent for several minutes. “The Force,”

Of course he’d say that.

“Your greatest friend and confidante, will be.”

I’m not surprised.

“Convinced you are still not, hmm?”

“No.”

“Come. Come.” He says, adjusting so he can face me fully. “Tell me. On your goals, you have decided. Yes?”

Leave it to Yoda to bring up something I actually enjoy about this whole process. He asked me to think of things I want to focus on while I am Grand Master. Things I wish to accomplish. I nod. “I have a list.”

He chuckles. “Surprised, I am not.” He waves his hand at me. “From before this war, your list I wish to hear.”

“So nothing related to this war?”

He nods.

Fine. “One of the big ones is the slave trade still in the Outer Rim. We put down the Zygerrians before but they are still out there and we have not checked on them in some time. They and the Hutts have been enslaving beings for thousands of years and for all we claim that we will not stand for it we have yet to make any lasting difference. There are so many former slaves that claim we, as Jedi, are hypocrites and cowards. If we are to get any trust from the inhabitants of the Outer Rim worlds, then we need to make real progress on this.”

He nods. “Frustrated, you are.”

I nod. I cannot deny it. The slave trade is a horrific, barbaric practice that has plagued our galaxy for thousands of years. “Another goal of mine is to station at least one Jedi on every planet. Naturally, our Order will have to expand some and not every planet will welcome a Jedi, but I want to have a Jedi stationed on every planet we can. Having Jedi more spread out will help to dispel the misconceptions many planets have about our Order.”

He nods and I know he knows how bad some of these misconceptions are.

Which leads me into point number three (which is kinda connected to number two). “Master Yoda there are families that believe we are kidnappers. Families that were gracious enough to give up their children so we could raise them. Families that ought to be our biggest supporters are the ones telling these horror stories about us. I know many of my fellow masters do not approve of my tradition but I am telling you Ima’s family is proof of the good it does. Before I took him to meet his family he wasn’t sure if he was cut out to be a Jedi. Yes, we could lose some padawans to their families but it makes those that stay all the stronger and more centered for it. It has worked with every single one of my padawans and their families go on to tell everyone they know how amazing their children are under our tutledge. Even if we don’t take every padawan home to their families, their families need to know what they are doing and how amazing their children are.”

Master Yoda nods. “Hrmh. See your point I do. For the Council, I cannot speak.”

I know it is controversial and I know Master Windu will fight me on it every step of the way, but I have seen what it looks like when beings grow up with these horror stories of us Jedi. It destroys our credibility. “My fourth goal was to try to improve relations between old rival or dissident species. The Quarren and Mon Calamari, Wookiees and Trandoshans, Mandalorians and Cathar, Echani and Thyrsian, and the Nautolans and Anselmi. Their species have struggled to cooperate for so long and it is the Jedi’s responsibility as peacekeepers to be true to our role and help them come to terms with their histories and move past them.”

He nods. “Personal, this is.”

Of course he’d pick up on that.

“This war, of your service it reminds?”

Why did he have to bring that up? 

“In service, learned much you did.”

“Only that war accomplishes nothing.” It just tears us apart. I won’t say I hated my service. That is not true. I love my planet and I do not regret my service to them one bit. Would I do it again? I do not know.

“Hrmh.” He hums. “Central to a Wookiee’s life an honor family is. A roadmap to your heart it provides.”

Leave it to Master Yoda to poetically summarize an age old tradition and central aspect of Wookiee culture in four words.

“Master Windu, Grand Master I could make. Sure in the Force and himself, he is. Prepared he would be.”

Where are you going with this, Master Yoda?

“Want to, I do not. Why? The Jedi Order, **strong ** under Master Windu would be. Under you, **sure **the Jedi will be.”

There is a real difference in that choice of words. A strong order could make a stronger Republic. A sure order could provide stronger Jedi for whatever galaxy this war makes.

“Ready now to lead the Order you are. Ready not to lead a war you are. This to fix, complete your roadmap you must. Final tasks, complete you must.”

Oh Force he’s right. It is expected that no Wookiee be given a leadership position until the parameters of their honor family have been demonstrated or laid clear for everyone. Anyone should be able to look at your history and cite your moral code based on who you allow into your honor family, why they are let in, what you do not tolerate towards your honor family from outsiders, what you are willing to do for them, and what you will not tolerate from members of your honor family. In short? I need to make sure Master Yoda can see what my limits are, and how far I am willing to go when my honor family is threatened.

I nod. “I understand, Master Yoda.”

“These rules, when set, to be Grand Master, ready you will be.”

“Will you still wait until the war is over? Even if I have completed my criteria?”

He shakes his head. “No. Take over after the war you will. Fresh start you will provide.”

That makes sense. I still don’t know if I will be ready to lead after this war.

“Of how you feel, regardless, as ready as you will ever be, when the time comes. No one, as ready as you will be.”

Seriously, could you just be wrong? For once? For me? I meet his gaze as he smiles at me. It is not mischievous or humorous. It is a peaceful smile. He won’t. It is not out of intelligence that he is never wrong. It is out of experience. He cannot be wrong because he has already seen so much. Perhaps one day, I too will reach a point where I have an answer to every question. Force willing I live that long.


	17. Rules

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Learning is fun, especially when the lesson is taught by your favorite teacher..but not everything you learn is enjoyable.

“Master Drayhu!”

Force he should not be allowed to be so cute. “How are you, Gungi?”

“I am doing well. The crechemasters are talking about sending my clan on The Gathering soon!”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Gungi, you younglings are not supposed to know when you are going on The Gathering. Is there something you wish to tell me?”

His excitement diminishes as he realizes that someone is in trouble. Still, he shakes his head no and looks at his feet.

He is still perhaps a third of my height, so I have to kneel to level my face with his. “You are not in trouble, Gungi, but you must understand that some things are best left as a surprise.”

He nods.

I smile, rubbing his head and pushing fur into his eyes. “Come on.”

“Is it time for another lesson?!” He asks, his excitement back stronger than ever.

I nod. “It is.”

“Should I get my clan-mates?”

I shake my head no as I stand and begin leading him out of the creche. “No, Gungi, this one is a private lesson.”

He runs to my side, his excitement doesn’t falter at the news. He loves his clan-mates, but he also loves getting me all to himself. In that regard, I suppose he is a bit selfish. Not that I am any better.

We enter the Room of a Thousand Fountains where we sit on the grass beneath a small collection of trees.

“What am I learning today?” He asks, his gaze telling me I could pluck a star out of the sky if I so chose.

I smile at this innocent pup, still untouched by the evils of the galaxy. He will be a padawan soon. If this war persists, he may very well become a Commander himself. I shudder to think how that will change him. Force protect him. “Today we will be delving deeper into a topic we have discussed before.” I present my arms to him, turning them so he can see the bands in full.

“Honor Families?” He asks, remembering our discussion of my bands.

I nod. “Yes Gungi. Do you remember the difference between an Honor Family and a Life Debt?”

He nods all but bouncing in place. “Of course! A Life Debt is granted to those who save your life. You must pledge to defend them for the rest of your days. It can extend to those close to or related to the individual, but  **they** must take priority.”

I nod “Very good, but remember, a Life Debt is a matter of honor. It is important to be both aware of your surroundings and be prepared to defend yourself. For once a Life Debt is owed, only the recipient can free you from that obligation. There are those in the galaxy who have abused this gift, but we cannot abandon our honor, no matter the circumstance.”

“But then..”

I can see the little gears turning in his head as he reaches the conundrum all pups discover. That all Wookiees contend with. That all honor-bound societies grapple with.

“What if an enemy saves me? What if the one to whom I owe the debt enslaves me?”

I cup his cheek in my paw, still awed by how even my hand dwarfs his head. “Honor is honor, pup. Pray it is never tested in this manner.”

He nods, though I can see this unsettles him.

“Now, how does an Honor Family differ from a Life Debt?”

He brightens some at the change in topic. “The members of an Honor Family are family in every way but blood. They are those we dedicate ourselves to without the prompting of a debt owed, though a Life Debt could lead to membership in the Honor Family.”

I nod. “Very good. The key in there is the necessity of the act. An Honor Family is created through closeness, a Life Debt is forged through honor. Both imply your protection for those involved. Hence, the subject of today’s lesson: defining membership criteria for your Honor Family.”

He tilts his head to the side, his eyes narrowing as he tries to piece together my meaning. “But Master Drayhu..isn’t an Honor Family something that happens naturally?”

I nod. “It is, but it is something you need to be able to recognize. Everyone has a set of criteria that dictates the difference between a very close friend, and a member of their Honor Family.”

“What kind of criteria?” 

“It varies from individual to individual.”

“What’s your criteria? What was Master Tyvokka’s criteria?” He’s getting excited again, fueling his curiosity, his desire, to understand our culture.

It is too cute not to at least chuckle at. “I am afraid I do not know what Master Tyvokka’s criteria were. My criteria is primarily based on my lineage in the Order.”

“Your lineage?”

“You may have also heard it called your legacy. A Jedi’s legacy is their padawans, their grandpadawans, their great-grandpadawans, and so on. So, anyone who is my padawan is immediately part of my Honor Family, as are their padawans.”

“What about someone outside of the Order?”

“I’m afraid I am not close enough to anyone outside the Order and my blood family to say for certain.”

“Should I make my lineage part of my Honor Family?”

“Not unless you want to Gungi. Just as you do not have to give them wroshyr bands. I do this because I want them to know that we are together, no matter how many stars lie between us. Not to mention it allows them to find other members of the Honor Family.”

“But what other criteria could there be?”

“Well..I once knew a Dragon Trooper officer who made all those in his squad members of his Honor Family after they survived a battle that nearly killed them all. Another required that he spend at least a decade in close contact with them, and I know a few who require that the individual attend Life Day with them at least 5 times.”

“That would mean knowing them for at least 15 years.”

I nod “And participating in our most sacred holiday. But these criteria need not be shared with those you are close with. You do not want people to actively seek membership. As you said, it must happen naturally.”

Gungi nods, but his brow is still furrowed as his thoughts swirl. “But how do I come up with this criteria?”

“I’m afraid that is something only  **you** can do, Gungi. An Honor Family is a deeply personal thing. Interfering with its formation is sacrilegous. I cannot help you. I can only suggest you pay attention to what you value, and meditate on what it is that binds you to those you are close to.”

He is disappointed.

While I would normally try to placate him, I will not budge on this matter. “Meditate with me. It will serve to help you remember what we have discussed today, as well as help you to direct your thinking towards the future.”

He nods and we both adjust so we are on our knees across from each other.

“Master Drayhu?” Gungi asks, breaking the peaceful silence of our walk back to the creche.

“Yes, Gungi?”

“Will I get a wroshyr band?”

I smile, rubbing his head gently. “Force willing you become my padawan? Then yes.”

“Are you saying I would not get one if I trained with a different master? Can that actually happen?”

Force why does he sound so worried? I stop, turn to face him, and take a knee. “Gungi, I  **want** to train you, I do. But I also know that the Force has a plan for all of us. It may decide that someone else is more suited to guiding you to Knighthood.”

“That’s impossible! No one could be better suited than you!”

I can’t stop the huff of laughter at his insistence.

“What’s so funny?” He asks, all but pouting.

“I have had this conversation before.”

“What do you mean? We have never had this conversation before.”

“I never said you were involved in the first, pup.”

“Then who did you have it with?”

“I once said the exact same thing to Master Tyvokka.”

His eyes go wide, his mouth slightly agape in what may be awe or shock “You did?”

I nod. “He was going to train me. He was all ready to do so and no one was arguing. Then..I had a vision of the stars stretched out before me. I felt a pull within me to see the galaxy. I was so certain I was meant to join the Exploration Corps. Master Tyvokka agreed to let me go see the stars.”

“But I thought you were trained by Master Sinube.”

I grin “One thing you will come to learn, young one, is that the Force can have quite the nasty sense of humor. As for not giving you a wroshyr band, you must remember that the criteria for your Honor Family is as sacred as its bond.”

“So..I wouldn’t be part of your Honor Family?”

I smile “I never said that.”

“Yes you did!”

“I did no such thing. I told you I had no criteria for joining my Honor Family outside my lineage as I have never found myself close enough to another outside of it to merit much thought on the matter. If you are trained by another master, then I will simply have to determine the criteria for Jedi outside my legacy.”

“But you were just telling me that I have to determine my criteria and  **stick** to it.”

“Yes, for so long as those criteria matter to you. We are ever growing and changing individuals, Gungi. Your values will change, as will your surroundings. We all must adapt our criteria at some point.”

“…Oh.”

“I know this is a complicated idea to wrap your mind around. Just know that this is something that should be on your mind as you prepare to venture out into the galaxy. And no matter what happens, I only ask that you be open to the will of the Force.”

He nods “I will, Master.”

“Good. Off you go now. It is about time for meditation.”

He nods and runs back to the creche.

He will be a great Jedi one day. Master Tyvokka, watch him when I cannot. I head to my room and turn on the recorder.

“Greetings Sapra, Hovvo. I hope this message finds you well. Gungi is doing well in his studies. His height visibility increases every time I see him and he grows anxious for the day he can take the pilgrimage to Ilum and forge his lightsaber. He has another year or so before that can happen though. As I expected, this war has done nothing to diminish his desire to get out there and do some good. Force forbid he becomes a padawan in this mess though. We discussed Honor Families and Life Debts today. As with most children, the Life Debt has him both intrigued and worried, but I have faith that he will come out the other side of these meditations stronger in his resolve than ever before. I’m afraid I am due for deployment soon so my updates on Gungi will not be as scheduled as they have always been. I intend to have him spend some time with my Master while I am away from the Temple. Perhaps  **he** can teach your son some patience.” I say with a smile. “I will ask him if he can check up on the younglings from time to time. If not, then rejoice in knowing he is as excited to meet you as you are him.” I bow my head and stop the recording.

I send the recording and head for the Archives. It has been too long since I sat and talked with Jocasta and Master Sinube. I should see how they are doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I watched the Gathering arc again and read over the comments from the story and it miraculously gave me the inspiration I needed to write up a Gungi chapter. This will be the last chapter in the Coruscant arc. I hope you all enjoyed it.


End file.
